Gloria Park, “Adaptation Completed“

The prize money for Korean female players of U.S. LPGA tour is not much different from `extra income`.

As they are usually under contraction with sponsor, the money from the tour is nothing but a snip.

But `Koala` Gloria Park, who has not found any sponsor, should depend on the prize money for the U.S. tour expense. Sponsorship, promoted by some minor companies heading season open, finally came to nothing.

Gloria Park (22), who debuted on the U.S. stage without sponsorship in 2000, has failed in passing the cutoff 15 times out of 25 games she ran for due to financial difficulties, missing full seed for LPGA tour. Fortunately, provided with tour expenses by a familiar businessman, she passed over the cutoff 19 times under the conditional qualification for the tour, and finally won the championship in September. This year, `Champion without a sponsor` Gloria Park planed to turn her route to Japan, where the burden of expense is relatively light.

This Gloria Park is dismissed from the worries for a while by joining the `top 5` at Takefuji Classic (purse 900,000 dollars), U.S. tour season opening game.

The final 3rd round at Waikoloa Resort Course (par 70) in Hawaii on the 3rd. Putting on a Polo cap instead of the cap with the sponsor’s logo, Gloria Park got 5 under par with 6 birdies and a bogey. She got the best score of Korean players, ranked at co-3rd together with Heather Bowie (U.S.) at total 12 under par.

Gloria Park won the prize money of 52,875 dollars, and said, “it is regrettable that I couldn’t make the first at 2nd round. The expense problem will be eased for the time being. ”

Gloria Park, who spent last winter training in Hawaii to cut down the expense, finished all 3 rounds with over 80 percent ratio of greens in regulation and only one bogey.

Grace Park (Ewha Women’s Univ.) got ranked at co-6th with total 9 under par, another `top 10` along with Gloria Park, hoping better result in this season. Kim Mi-Hyun (KTF) stayed at co-12th with total 6 under par, but she succeeded in overcome the worries from the change of swing motion. Last year’s rookie Han Hee-Won (Fila Korea) got 24th with total 3 under par.

Meanwhile, Annika Sorenstam (Sweden), who monopolized the No. 1 in season wins and money last year, tied with Lorie Kane (Canada) at total 14 under par, but won the first hole of play-off. She showed off her unchanged notorious skill by achieving 2 weeks’ win in a row in play-offs; She defeated Carrie Webb (Australia) after 4 play-offs in Australia Women’s Masters last week. Winner’s money was 135,000 dollars.

At the 2nd round the previous day failed Michell Wie (12), the youngest and Korean in U.S., in passing through the cut off with 6 over par.

Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com