Fairways and Greens

Naree Wins Futures Tour Event
Naree Song has beaten her twin sister Aree to the punch by becoming the first Song to win a professional event. She captured the New Innsbrook C.C. FUTURES Golf Classic in Merrillville, Indiana over the weekend. Naree began the final round five shots out of the lead, but things started to go her way when she chipped in for eagle on the par 5 5th hole, and birdied two other par 5's on the front to enter the turn at 3 under 33. The leader, Allison Hanna, bogeyed three straight holes starting at hole 9, and Naree took advantage of the opening by birdieing four of her last seven holes, despite missing a tricky two-foot birdie putt on the last hole. But it didn't matter, as she shot a final round 66 to win by 2 shots. Her total of 8 under par was also a tournament record for the event, and her 66 was the course record.

Aree Song got off to a quicker start in the pros, deciding to forego her college career entirely by turning pro late last year. Naree went ahead with college, but after one semester she, too, decided to turn pro. She then focused on getting her exempt card through the Futures Tour; the top five finishers on that tour at the end of the year move on to the LPGA. Thanks to her win, Naree now is third on the Futures Tour money list, and is well positioned to make that dream a reality.

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Naree Song!

Jimin Kang leads the Futures
Tour money list

Koreans dominating on Futures Tour
For those who thought the Korean invasion might be losing steam, now that a record 21 Korean players are on the LPGA tour, I suggest they take a gander at the Futures Tour money list. Thanks to Naree Song's win last week, Koreans occupy five of the top six spots on the money list (Naree is half Thai and half Korean, but lists her official residence as Seoul, South Korea, and competes as a Korean on tour). Jimin Kang still leads the list, and teenage sensation Seon Hwa Lee is second. Naree's win moved her into third place, while Aram Cho and Mee Na Lee are 5th and 6th respectively. Only Lindsey Wright of Australia has managed to break up the Korean dominance this season; she sits fourth on the money list. The top five players at the end of the season get exempt cards for next year's LPGA tour.

Grace's new Nike ad now available on line!
Grace Park for the first time will be appearing in a television ad for Nike here in the States. And it is now available on-line! In the commercial, Grace and a number of male Nike golfers sneak into Tiger Woods' garage to take a look at the newest Nike driver. Tiger's head cover Frank, who is a sarcastic fellow, agrees to show them the new driver if they pay him off.

For those of us who have waited a long time for Grace to make it into a TV ad, it's a bit of a letdown. She does not have a speaking part, and is not referred to in the ad. David Duval seems to be the chief protagonist. Still, it's a start.

Check out the ad by clicking here

Money List
Annika's win at Corning while Grace and Se Ri were absent allowed her to retake the lead on the money list. It was a particularly good week for Soo Young Moon, who collected her first ever LPGA top ten and vaulted from 96th to 55th on the money list, while Shi Hyun Ahn grabbed her season best finish with a tie for 4th. Alas, Mi Hyun Kim dropped out of the event and thus made no money, and Soo Yun Kang's progress was set back with a missed cut. Jeong Jang made her second straight 11th place finish to help her cause as well.