Triangular Competition for Grand Slam

Three Players with unique characters

Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first major golf championship of the LPGA tour has a strange custom that the champion plunges into the water of the lake right next to the green of the 18th hole. Such unique custom was created by Amy Alcott, who dove into the water to celebrate her second winning of the championship in 1988. She was elected to LPGA Hall of Fame in 1999. Since then champs of Nabisco have thrown themselves into the `lake of the champions` surrounded by the envious eyes.

Then who is going to be the one of victory this year? Three candidates to be a grand slammer are showing indomitable will to soak themselves in the lake. Se-Ri Pak(25, Samsung Electronics), Laura Davies (39, UK), Meg Mallon (39, USA) are those who would be a grand slammer as well if they won the championship of Nabisco.

If Se-Ri Pak, who has won LPGA championship and US Women`s Open in 1998 and British Women`s Open last year, won the championship of Nabisco this year, she would make herself the youngest grand slammer in its history. Although Se-Ri Pak has been in the middle of spotlights even before the season, Davies and Mallon are also contending for victory.

Powerful hitter Davies has failed to add one more winning since she won 3 major championships in 1996. Davies, who recorded 20 wins in all but ranked at the second only once in 1994 after playing 16 times for Nabisco, is now full of enthusiasm now challenging to be elected to the Hall of Fame if she won this championship. Mallon also left only Nabisco to be a grand slammer by winning du Maurier Classic in 2000.

Bringing shames to the critics who spoke out their prime times are over, Davies and Mallon got into shape for the match, by ranking at 7th and 12th respectively at Welches-Circle K Championship, which is a kind of a preliminary game to Nabisco Championship.

Se-Ri Pak seems to have a better schedule. She will be able to concentrate on playing without be bothered by a distraction for she is scheduled to play with her best friends, Laurie Kane (Canada) and Nancy Scranton (U.S.) for first a couple of rounds. Davies is included in a group with Charlotta Sorenstam (Sweden) and Rosie Jones (U.S.), anticipating difficult plays from the beginning. Mallon will play the first and second round with Hee-Jung Park and Catriona Matthew.

Since they have to wait until next year if they missed this opportunity, this championship is attracting more attentions of the people who want to see who is going to take this opportunity that comes only once every year.

Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com