Pro-Am Event Bubbles Over with Laughter Cheju is spring

As the fierce blowing of the wind calms down, the looks on every face lights up.

On October 30, with only one day left before the beginning of the CJ Nine Bridge Classic (the U.S. LPGA Tour) (Total award $12.5 million), at Cheju Club Nine Bridge (Par 72), 69 participants, each dreaming and hoping to get the victory, concentrated on their last practice, with the golfers all scattered around the course, driving range and the practicing greens.

Up until the previous day, the golfers, who had to struggle with the harsh winds (over 15 m/s), and the chilly weather (below 5 degrees Celsius), made preparations for the upcoming tournament, as the wind settled down and the temperature warmed enough to play merrily.

According to the LPGA award ranking, the top 50 golfers were invited to participate. In addition, 12 top Korean award rankers and seven invited golfers also took part in the tournament. By chance, most of the Korean women golfers who play in the U.S. and Japan will all compete together at this tournament, bubbling over with excitement after a long time away.

Pak Se-ri (CJ), the defending tournament champion, jacked up her sense of shot, going through the pro-am event and the practice rounds. She swore to defend her throne once again, driving on her reserved energy which she had worked up in her previous men’s match. She has crossed over the cutoff of the men’s match as the first female in 58 years to do so. In last year’s CJ Nine Bridge Classic, only Pak Se-ri shot under par (3 under). She has made up her mind to resume her play in one big push, reviving her pleasant memory of the last year, when she surged to the lead, recording 7-under par in the first round.

Among the golfers playing in the U.S., Park Ji-eun (Nike Golf), who is aiming for her second victory of the season in this match, “Bride of Winter” Han Hee-won (Fila Korea), and “Super Peanut” Kim Mi-hyun (KTF), are the strongest challengers.

Song A-ri (17), who took up the full seed of the U.S. LPGA tour 2004, recently, and Jung Il-mi (Hansol), have finished their preparation of full-scale debut on the professional golf world. Lee Ji-hee (LG Fire insurance), who put together four victories in the Japanese golf tour so far, and Koo Ok-hee (47), who is the oldest participant in the tournament, have finished warming up themselves as they wait for the tee-off. Jun Mi-jung, the leading award ranker (TaylorMade), who is looking upon the U.S. tour as her target, and the second place, Kim Joo-mi (of Hi Mart) consider this tournament as a good chance to experience the dream event in advance.

“Prodigy of Golf” Michelle Wie (14), who was the only amateur invited, will challenge the professional golfers with her amazing long distance tee shots.

Candie Kung (Taiwan), who picked up three victories in the LPGA tour, Rachel Teske, who won twice this season, and Lorena Ochoa, the rookie of 2002 season, are other strong candidates for the victory, facing “Korean Power.”

SBS will broadcast the match from the opening day, October 31, to November 2 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com