Editorial on the Jan Stephenson comments

'They don't say anything to pro-am partners'
FALSE. I followed Grace, Se Ri, Mi Hyun and Hee-Won for a few holes of their pro-ams in Portland. Grace was constantly interacting with the ams, as I detailed in my report in the previous issue. Se Ri helped them line up putts, smiled and thanked them when complimented, and gave three high fives that I saw. Hee-Won had three conversations that I counted. Mi Hyun helped line up putts and gave advice about shot selection on a hole. Final analysis: there is no steadfast rule about how much the Asians interact. Some do, some do a lot, some do not so much. But not a single one of them said only two words to her partners. Oh, and by the way: several of their partners in those pro-ams were Korean; the Seoul Sisters' ability to speak to them in their native language is doubtless an added bonus Stephenson didn't even consider.

Perhaps some Asian players could be a bit more outgoing; that is, they do not speak unless someone comes up and speaks to them. But when spoken to, every Korean player I have ever seen has made an effort to carry on a conversation, even if it is in very halting English. And guess what? There are plenty of American players who are equally shy, and don't even have a language barrier to contend with. But Stephenson did not say 'shy players are killing our tour', did she? So why pick on Asians?

Grace during the Safeway pro-am
SeoulSisters.com Photo

You are seeing correctly. Grace Park is
signing a pregnant woman's stomach in these
photos from the Longs Drugs Challenge
Courtesy: Robert K

'They don't go to pro-am parties'/'They sneak out of pro-am parties'
DOUBTFUL. I have no proof this is not true, but considering the accuracy of her other statements, I'm a bit dubious about it. And I highly doubt Jan is 'taking attendance' at pro-am parties. Plus, there is photographic evidence that they attend some parties at least. So a dubious assertion at best.

'They don't sign autographs'
ABSOLUTELY FALSE. Or the autographs I have were forged by uncanny duplicates.

In fact, I have had a chance to attend nine LPGA tournaments over the years. I have personally witnessed Se Ri Pak sign hundreds of autographs, sometimes in a single session. For instance, last year at the Samsung Championship in Vallejo, California, I watched as Se Ri signed at least 200 autographs after her round. Grace Park and Mi Hyun Kim also went down that same line of fans, signing for each one. Meanwhile, I have heard several stories of Stephenson's country woman, Karrie Webb, sneaking out of a tournament without signing autographs for fans. That's not to insult Webb, but to show how selective Stephenson is being in her criticism.

'They don't interact with fans'
FALSE. This one is related to the criticism above, and like it is completely, staggeringly false. Grace Park has left several messages to her fans on her message board at LPGA.Com, as has Mi Hyun Kim. Mi Hyun has dinners regularly with her fan club members in Korea, and leaves a weekly message on her home page for them. Stories are legion about how they and Se Ri are nice to fans who approach them for autographs or photos. I got Jeong Jang to pose for me last year when I asked. Sunny Lee, as I talked about last year, approached me when I cheered for her and personally thanked me; she also thanked an elderly couple who were watching at one hole. Perhaps my favorite story is one about Se Ri Pak. As the fan related it to me, he and his elderly father were interested in getting an autograph from Se Ri during a practice round. She was about to give them one when it was her turn to hit. She promised she would be back after she hit. The fan assumed they had been blown off, but they decided to stay. Se Ri returned, and patiently waited while his father, who is slowed due to a stroke, walked up to her and handed him a hat. After she signed, he thanked her, and she replied, 'No, thank you!' True story. And just the kind of story people like Stephenson need to hear.

Typical day for Se Ri: Signing autographs at the
Betsy King last year

Se Ri meets with sick children in Korea

Se Ri holds court at the US Women's Open this
summer. She provoked several laughs from
the reporters gathered.

'They don't interact well with the media'
FALSE. I've attended several press conferences with Se Ri and Grace in my capacity as a reporter for this magazine. The media love them. They were in stitches with Se Ri and her joking around when I saw her at the US Open. Before she went into her press conference there, I saw several reporters hanging out with her, pulling her leg about something. She was laughing loudly. It was clear they had a lot of affection for her.

I have also had a chance to talk with many reporter since I started this site. I remember one reporter named Mark Piras, who works for the Beaufort Gazette in South Carolina. He asked me for some information before he interviewed the Seoul Sisters for his newspaper; mainly, he was curious how well they spoke English. Afterwards, he told me that Mi Hyun Kim was 'incredibly nice' and said interviewing her, Grace and Se Ri was a joy. "Having covered the PGA Tour event in Hilton Head every year, it was a refreshing change to have people thank ME for interviewing them." Enough said. (And need I add that Karrie Webb has been known for blowing off press conferences in the past, yet where is Stephenson's criticism of her country woman?)