“Cinderella? Now, I’m Queen”

It was the par 4 17th hole.

Ahn Shee Hyun (20 years old, Kolon-E-land), the leader with 8 under par was left with a long birdie putt of approximately seven meters. Park Jee Eun (25 years old, Nike Golf), in 2nd place by one stroke, was left with a short, 1.8 meter birdie putt. Everyone in the crowd of thousands held their breath while Ahn Shee Hyun putted first. The ball rolled steadily until it fell into the hole.

At that moment, the competition was over. Consequently, a nervous Park Jee Eun missed her birdie and her next putt, ending the hole with a bogey. On the 18th hole (par 5), an elated Ahn Shee Hyun placed her 3rd shot within one meter to the hole and successfully completed her birdie.

On the 16th hole in the last round of the 2nd annual MBC XCANVAS Women’s Open Golf Tournament held at the 88 Country Course, Ahn Shee Hyun won the winner’s cup with 10 under par and 206 strokes. The top prize was 36 million won. Ahn also won a surprise victory at the American Women’s Pro Golf (LPGA) tour’s CJ Nine Bridge Classic and became known as the “Cinderella” of the tour. For Ahn, who debuted at the Korean Women’s Pro Golf in 2002, the MBC Canvas tournament win represents her first victory in Korea. Ahn described her elated feelings by saying, “If I had wings, I would fly.”

Park Jee Eun started the 3rd round tied with Ahn at 5 under par. Up until the 10th hole (par 5), Park held the lead by three strokes at 9 under par, but at the 11th hole (par 4), she hit the ball out of bounds with a driver tee shot slicer, recorded a fatal double bogey and was left with a win at the semifinals. Park Seri (CJ) who was 4 under par up until the previous day, recorded 2 over par with four bogeys and two birdies for a total of 2 under par, 214 strokes. She tied for 9th place.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com