Korean LPGA Players Arrive Home

Five Korean female golfers playing on the LPGA Tour arrived in Korea together.

Pak Se-ri (CJ), Grace Park (Nike), Kim Mi-hyun (KTF), Han Hee-won (Fila Korea), and Ahn Si-hyun (Kolon Elord) arrived in Korea on October 19 in order to participate in the CJ Nine Bridges Classic, one of the LPGA tour’s tournament events that starts on October 29 on Jeju Island.

Pak, who finished in last place with a traumatic score of 15-over-par 303 in the Samsung World Championship, was tearful as she was greeted by her parents at Incheon International Airport.

On the possible reasons behind her slump, Pak said that she has been shaky with her driver shots from the beginning of the season. She said that she could get back into form in time.

Pak chose to stay in the Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong instead of going home to Daejeon. She leaves for Japan on Wednesday morning to participate in Japan’s JLPGA Masters Golf Club ladies event.

Park, who finished second after Annika Sorenstam in the Samsung World Championship and had her sixth second-place finish this season, seemed more cheerful. Park said that she has had many second-place finishes this season, and she also mentioned about being the runner-up in last year’s CJ Nine Bridges tournament. She said that by winning this year’s tournament, she hopes to overcome the jinx.

Ahn, who rose to stardom after winning last year’s CJ Nine Bridges Classic, said that she really likes this course and that she wants to win again. A completely obscure figure until last year, Ahn enjoys a different status now as she enters the tournament as the LPGA Rookie of the Year and defending champion.

Kim, who has been within the top-10 15 times this year, said that she feels great and predicted that the weather at Jeju will be a key factor that will affect the tournament.

Han, who was greeted by her baseball player husband Son Hyuk, will hold an autograph-signing event and golf clinic session at the Jungang Golf Practice Range in Bundang, Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province on October 21. She will meet with children in Myeongjin Orphanage in Cheonho-dong, Seoul, as well.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com