2004 LPGA Survey Predicts Success for Park Ji-eun, Se-ri

Will Park Ji-eun (25, Nike Golf) win her first major this season?

The United States LPGA Tour administration office surveyed 3600 fans on their outlook for the 2004 LPGA season, and 27 percent answered that Park Ji-eun would win her first major title this year (26th, 14:00 so far).

In the survey, which had six questions that allowed multiple picks, 16 percent predicted that Park Se-ri would end up taking two majors this year.

Park Ji-eun made her debut in 2000 and has yet to win a major championship. On the other hand, if Park Se-ri wins the Nabisco Championship, which is the season’s first major, she would reign as the youngest grand slam winner in tour history.

In the meantime, only 11 percent of voters agreed on “the queen of golf,” Annika Sorenstam`s (Sweden) goal of winning four majors in a single season.

Another 29 percent of LPGA fans predicted that Lorena Ochoa (Mexico), who received the Rookie of the Year award last year, would win her first major this season.

Only six percent of the fans gave hope to America`s favorite, the LPGA`s Dotti Pepper (United States), that she would succeed in coming back with a championship.

Young-Sik Ahn ysahn@donga.com