2003 Longs Drugs Challenge: Jung Yeon Wheee!

Then on 13 she murdered her tee shot. In fact, it was probably too far, and she did not hit a very good approach from that distance, because she had hit it so far off the tee that she was on a downhill lie for her approach. That approach went into the bunker behind the green, and her out only barely got out. She not only did not chip in her par save, but she did not get it close, and walked off the hole with a double bogey that seemingly ended any chance she had to win the trophy. It seemed as though we had hear the last of Jung Yeon Lee, nerves having seemingly scotched her chances for victory.

On hole 14 she left herself a 70 foot birdie putt, but got it within two feet of the hole for a nice par save. On the par 5 15th, she used her length to get on in two, then nearly made a 60 foot eagle try. The birdie moved her back to 11 under, three out of the lead held by her playing partner Pat Hurst.

But it was on the par 3 16th that she really showed her moxie. Her iron was so good it was nearly a hole in one. The crowd went crazy, and Jung Yeon smiled broadly. The tap in birdie moved her back to 12 under, erasing the double bogey. On 17, she kept fighting with a great approach to 6 feet, but this time, she pulled her putt and had to settle for par.

Jung Yeon Lee at this year's Rail Classic

She knew that the only chance she had was to move to 13 under and hope for the best. But with only one hole to go, the nerves must have been weighing on her. She responded with another great shot that went right at the flag, finally settling 8 feet past. Meanwhile, she watched Hurst leave her approach short, then hit an abysmal chip that left par in doubt. Indeed, her par putt came next, and she missed, meaning that if Jung Yeon could just make this birdie, she might very well be in a three way playoff with Hurst and Alfredsson. Who would have though after the double bogey that she would have any chance to stay in the tournament, let alone win it?

Alas, the putt was great, but a smidge off, and Jung Yeon tapped in her par, finishing at 12 under for second place. Lee had passed the first real test of her career with flying colors. She would go on to finish second two weeks later at the Woori Securities Classic on the KLPGA tour, proving perhaps that her awaited surge to the top of the heap was coming at last. And keep in mind that it was at this exact tournament last year where an obscure player named Hee-Won Han went on to her first second place finish, only an errant drive on the final hole preventing her from getting the win. Could Jung Yeon's career be about to take a similar step up? Will we perhaps have a Jung Yeon Lee Revenge Tour in 2004? Stay tuned!