On Sunday, Se Ri played in the third to last group with her good friend Lorie Kane. Immediately she made a birdie on the par 5 first, while Annika bogeyed her first two holes, and Se Ri was looking good to make another run at a title. Her driving in particular was spot on, unlike the first two days. She managed a 289 yarder on the measured hole. Alas, on the third hole she had a unfortunate break: after hitting a great drive and leaving herself with just a wedge, she popped it onto the green right near the hole. But she put too much spin on it, and the hardness of the green caused the ball to snap back sharply and roll all the way off the green and halfway back to Se Ri! This was a case where her shot was too good! Eventually she got a bogey here. She had a similar problem on 5, but this time the ball stayed on the green and she was able to make par. Perhaps something to work on?

Se Ri birdied the par 4 6th and the par 5 7th, moving to 2 under. But on 8 she was left with just about an impossible up and down when her tee shot flew the green and landed in some dicey rough. After much thought, she chipped out brilliantly to 6 inches for an easy par save. To have gotten that ball within ten feet was a miracle, let alone six inches. This enabled her to stay at 2 under through the turn. Annika would go on a mini birdie tear herself, moving back to 5 under by the turn.

Se Ri on Sunday
Reuters/Lucy Nicholson

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

Holes 10 and 11 both had tough pin placements, and Se Ri was able to grind out par on both. On the par 5 12th, she got to the bunker in 2, but could not up and down it, and stayed at 2 under. Finally on 13, she blistered her drive to about 75 yards, then punched her wedge within 8 feet. A golden opportunity at last, and Se Ri did not disappoint, nailing the birdie and moving to 3 under.

The next four holes were the crucial ones to Se Ri's chances. Starting with 14, where she *just* missed a very makeable birdie putt. Then she unfortunately lost her accuracy with her irons, and that was the game. On the 15th, she was hitting out of the rough, which meant she needed to be careful, because she knew there'd be extra roll on her iron. But though she landed it OK, it took off, and rolled right off the back of the green. This is the one thing thou shalt not do at El Cab. Bogey. On the par 3 16th, the same thing happened: over the green, bogey.

But Se Ri was still in it, for Annika also had some ragged holes and dropped to 3 under. So she bombed, I mean bombed, her drive on the par 5 17th. Easily 300+ yards, the longest I've ever seen on that hole. Though the pin placement was tough, she was left with only 160 or so yards in, just a soft 6 iron. One good shot here, and eagle enters the equation. Alas, once again she hit too much club, or hit it too hard, but in any event she rolled off the back of the green. Her chip rolled all the way off the green on the other side, and came perilously close to going into the water. Fortunately she made her up and down, but that was the ball game, really. Still, she had to go for the eagle there; laying up after that fantastic drive would have been ridiculous, even if it might have guaranteed her a birdie.

So Se Ri finished second, a good title defense. But the extraordinary part was not the second place per se, but the way she came back from all that adversity in round one and still had a good chance to pull off the victory. A bit unfair that her great effort was not rewarded with a win, perhaps, but golf has a way of equalizing karma in the end, so maybe her good luck, her holeouts from the fairway and fortunate putts, are waiting to greet her at her next event. But her great effort and results doubtless made her many fans there to witness her play (she had a huge gallery again this year) happy as can be.