Ahn Shi-hyun Satisfied with "Top 5"

In golf, a company can bring absolute influence to the opponents’ score. The rule doesn`t only apply to weekend golfers but also to prestigious worldwide players.

"Tiger Phobia" could be one of these cases. Whoever faces Tiger Woods in the championship group frequently fails to perform his best because of nervousness.

For the women golfers, Annika Sorenstam tends to be the subject of intimidation. This has already been proven in the final 4th round of the Safeway International which took place at Superstition Mountain GC (par 72), Arizona, USA on March 22 with prize money of $1.2 million at stake.

Ahn Shi-hyun (Kolon Elord) chased right behind Sorenstam within one stroke when Sorenstam made a bogey on the first hole as she exerted to reverse her game and gain an upset victory, but had to satisfy to settle for the "Top 5" for two weeks in a row with a total of 9-under par, 279.

What could be the cause of Ahn`s performance in which she increased her shots to 11 in the same course where she hit in the 60`s range for four straight days, including a 6-under par, 66 the other day?

The temperature of 36 degrees celsius and the wind at 40km per hour along with the extremely dry greens that doesn`t allow for back spins could not be excuses for her performance because these conditions also applied to Annika Sorenstam. The cause must be that Ahn had been discouraged by Sorenstam. She lost in a mental battle rather than in golf techniques.

It had been critical to Ahn as groups had been in threesomes for the past four days but in the final round, they were changed to couples. Being a spectator in a close range to watch the world’s best as a rookie in the LPGA stage could have put lots of pressure on Ahn`s shoulders.

This showed exactly in Ahn`s final round performance with the ball landing on the fairway on 24 percent of her shots, and 50 percent of her approach shots landing on the green. It is surprising as she had shot 76.6 percent on the fairways and 75 percent on the greens (in particular, 94 percent in the 1st round) for the first four days.

Sorenstam hit an iron shot in the par-5, 18th hole, and succeeded in making a birdie with a 3-on, 1-putt and earned her 49th career tour victory with an 18-under par, 270 final score. No wise course play was found with Ahn Shi-Hyun, while Sorenstam knew to hit a fairway iron shot when facing head wind.

However, "Incomplete talent" Ahn Shi-hyun did get her earnings. She had learned from Sorenstam to "maintain the lead in slug-fests and capture the victory."

Meanwhile, the " Korean pack" sank at the brink of winning this year’s second tournament, but Park Ji-eun( Nike Golf) notched a tied 3rd place (11-under par), and Pak Se-ri stood tied in 5th place (9-under par) as the three members of the group placed in the "top 5 " and brought about sensation.

Song A-ree( Bean Pole Golf), who will compete against Ahn Shi-hyun for the rookie of the year award, wound up tied in 19th place (2-under par), even with " Genius " Michelle Wie (14, Wie Sung-mi).

Young-Sik Ahn ysahn@donga.com