Fairways and Greens

Futures Tour Season nearing end...
With only one event left to go on this year's schedule, the Futures Tour season is nearly over, and several Korean players are in good position to capture one of the coveted LPGA tour cards awarded to the top five on the money list at year's end.

At the Albany Futures Golf Classic two weeks ago, young Korean star Kyoung Bae was contending the whole day Sunday, but Chilean Nicole Perrot was too tough, and Bae had to settle for second. Bae currently sits 8th on the Futures Tour money list, and one more good event could nab her a card.

Then last week, it was Indian Smriti Mehra who captured the Hunters Oak Futures Golf Classic. Jimin Kang, who has led the money list much of the year, gave it a good fight, but in the end finished third at the event. Still, she increased her money list lead slightly over Lindsey Wright, the Australian who sits #2 on the money list, and who finished fourth at the event. Jimin looks like a lock to collect her exempt tour card, and also is the favorite for winning medalist honors at the end of the year.

There are four other Koreans in the top ten who could make noise in the final week: #4 Aram Cho, #6 Sung Ah Yim, #7 Seon Hwa Lee, and #9 Young Jo. In addition, Naree Song, twin sister of LPGA rookie star Aree Song, is 13th, and a good tournament could clinch her a card. Stay tuned!

Jimin Kang holds her third career
Futures Tour trophy and
second this season

Jane Park wins US Women's Amateur
Jane Park first burst onto the national radar a little more than a year ago, with a strong finish in the 2003 US Women's Open. The then-16 year old from California has done an awful lot of impressive things since then, most notably finishing runner up to Virada Nirapathpongporn at last year's US Women's Amateur. After that near win, Virada told her to be patient, she'd win it in 2004.

If golf does not work out for Nirapathpongporn, she should consider a second career on the Psychic Friend's Network. For coming into this year's Amateur, the biggest event in women's amateur golf, Park was playing very well indeed. She had just missed out on capturing the US Girl's title, losing in the final. She played on the Curtis Cup team which trounced Britain a few months ago. And though she missed the cut at the US Women's Open, it was clear she was saving her best USGA performance for last. She made her way relentlessly through the field in the Amateur, while better known players like Michelle Wie, In-Bee Park and Paula Creamer fell.

Eventually, she made it to the final, where she faced a relatively unknown college player from Arkansas named Amanda McCurdy. McCurdy may have been unknown, but she was not untalented, having dispensed with Creamer in a rout in the semis. Virada's prediction notwithstanding, this would not be a cakewalk for Jane.

The match was all square after the morning 18 holes. Early in the afternoon, however, Jane took control, with birdies on the 19th, 22nd and 23rd holes. She kept that 3 up lead until she made a mistake on the 30th hole, missing the green. It looked like McCurdy, who had a 15 foot birdie chance, would get some back, but Park proceeded to chip in, and McCurdy missed her birdie. End of momentum shift.

Jane did make a few late bogeys to allow McCurdy to hang in there, but on the final hole, McCurdy did not leave herself a realistic birdie chance, and Jane Park walked off with a 2 up win. Congratulations to the latest Seoul Sister in the making!

Koreans to take on the world??
This just in. Apparently, there is to be a match play competition, patterned after the Ryder cup, in the third week of October in Asia. On one side will be the Korean ladies, and on the other side... everyone else. That's right, it will be Korea vs. the World. Apparently appearing on the Korean side are big guns Se Ri Pak, Mi Hyun Kim and Grace Park. Jenny Rosales has committed to be on the opposing side, and among the other players who have been invited to join her are Annika Sorenstam and Meg Mallon. Each player is guaranteed a $60,000 appearance fee, plus a cut of the pot (the winners obviously getting a bigger prize than the losers).

Much as I love the Seoul Sisters, they are going to have their hands full with that lot! I hope they bring their A games! More details as I get them. Here's an article that mentions Jenny's participation:

http://news.inq7.net/sports/index.php?index=1&story_id=6419

Money List
Grace Park continues to struggle with injuries, missing another cut at the Wendy's Championship, which allowed Lorena Ochoa to increase her lead over Grace for 3rd. Shi Hyun Ahn suffered a similar fate, but lost no ground to Aree Song, her chief rookie competitor, who also missed the cut. Mi Hyun Kim had yet another top ten, and Hee-Won very nearly won after not contending all year, which allowed her to make the biggest move of the week. One or two more good tournaments could see her join her fellow Seoul Sisters in the top ten.