Sorenstam Versus Korean Corps

Annika Sorenstam vs. “Korean Corps”

The 2004 LPGA tour can be described with this phrase. Sorenstam won the championship and crushed the Koreans in last week’s Safeway International in her first confrontation. What will happen in the second competition?

The first major tournament, Nabisco Championship (total prize $1.6 million), will take place at Mission Hills CC (par 72) of Rancho Mirage, California on March 26 for four days.

Major Title Can’t Be Yielded--

The goal of Sorenstam is the “Grand Slam in a Single Season” (winning all four major tournaments), which has never done before, even in the U.S. PGA tour. Consequently, she has limited her participation to 16 tournaments and didn’t play in the opener (Welch’s Fry’s Championship) to prepare for the Nabisco Championship.

Meanwhile Pak Se-ri (CJ) seeks “three hares” at the same time. They are: the youngest grand slam (26 years 6 months), her seventh career grand slam victory, and the Hall of Fame. Pak was listed in the group following Sorenstam’s group, which was announced on March 24, and a fierce war of nerves is expected.

Will Korean Blasts Continue?--

Displaying great power by placing many in the top ten in the opener, the 15 players of the Korean corps are all scheduled to play in this difficult tournament for qualification. They constitute more than 15 percent of the entire 99 players.

U.S. LPGA tour members such as Park Ji-eun (Nike Golf), Ahn Shi-hyun (Kolon Elord), Song A-ree(Beanpole Golf), Lee Jeong-yeon (Korea Tire), Kim Mi-hyun (KTF), Han Hee-won (Fila Korea), Park Hee-jeong (CJ), Kim Young (Shinsegye), Jang Jeong (24-year-old), Kang Soo-yeon (Astra), Kim Cho-rong (20-year-old) as well as “Van” Pak Se-ri and second ranked in Japan LPGA in prize money, Lee Ji-hee (LG fire), compose the corps. In addition, “Genius” Michelle Wie (14-year-old), who placed ninth in last year’s Nabisco Championship, will join by invitation of sponsors, and Korean American Jane Park (17-years-old) will participate because of her second place finish in last year’s U.S. Women’s Amateur Golf Championship.

Intense Competition for the Rookie of the Year--

It is interesting to see whether both strong candidates, Ahn Shi-hyun and Song A-ree, will retain their positions. Because points which are given in major tournament are counted as double over regular tournaments, a golfer who beats the other player in this competition will step up.

Ahn Shi-hyun, finishing fifth in two consecutive tournaments, has surpassed Song A-ree by a bit, but Song is familiar with the course due to participating five consecutive times and has been in the top ten, making the confrontation between these two golfers interesting.

Young-Sik Ahn ysahn@donga.com