2005 Safeway Classic

Each year, the Safeway Classic is one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the LPGA schedule. It is now the longest running non-Major the LPGA plays, entering its 34th year in 2005. It is played on the beautiful Columbia Edgewater course in Portland, Oregon, just a stone's throw away from the mighty Columbia river (unfortunately, it is not much farther away from Portland International airport, making for a sometimes noisy three days). The course is well maintained, and the event is always heavily attended (not always the case on the LPGA tour). And on a personal note, it is also my favorite event, because it offers SeoulSisters.com a chance to cover the entire event live from start to finish. So join us once again as we travel down I-5 from our home base in Seattle to Portland to give you the complete behind the scenes scoop on the Safeway Classic!

Last year, Seoul Sisters fans were treated to a great Safeway Classic. Many of the top names in women's golf were in contention right until the very end of the tournament. Included among their number were several Korean players, notably the number two player on the money list, Grace Park, who was just then emerging from some injuries to play again at her top level. Another player well in the hunt was Hee-Won Han, who had in the last few events started to play at her normal late summer high level. But winning would not be easy for Han. On the tricky 14th hole, she hit a bad drive and was forced to punch out of the trees, ending up with a bogey. Perhaps most years, that would have been it for Han, but she stuck in there, hit a great birdie on 15, nearly birdied the tricky par 3 16th, then hit her approach on 17, a deadly hard hole, to within just a few feet. Alas, her birdie try there lipped out, but she was undaunted. On 18, another difficult hole, she put her approach to five feet and buried the birdie to move into a tie for the lead. About half an hour later, she was involved in a playoff on that same hole, and this time hit her approach even closer. Another birdie, and Hee-Won Han had her third career victory and first since getting married. The Korean press ate it up. And best of all, SeoulSisters.com got to witness it all live, the first time since we started that we were in attendance at an event a Korean player won.

Hee-Won Han hoisted last year's
Safeway trophy. It was her third win.

Hee-Won was all smiles when she returned to
Portland to defend her title

In 2005, Hee-Won returned to Portland a little earlier than last year. The event had been moved from mid- September to the third week in August. There were several reasons for this, but chief among them was to improve the chances that the event would be played in good weather. In 2004, the weather had been positively abysmal: not only cold, but very rainy. Play was even stopped at times due to torrential rain and thunderstorms, something you don't often see in this neck of the woods. But in August, the weather tends to be much nicer, and sure enough, in the 2005 edition of the tournament, the players were blessed with gorgeous weather all week, with temperatures at times exceeding 90, and not a cloud in the sky most of the time. As well, the earlier date fit in better with the sponsor's needs, and increased the number of people who could come. When the event was held in September, it often conflicted not only with the Ryder Cup in men's golf, but also school and college football. But none of those distractions interfered with the event's new August date. As a result, the tournament managed its biggest crowds ever. And this despite the fact that neither Annika Sorenstam nor Michelle Wie were able to attend.

The Safeway Classic is a three day event, which means they have two days of pro-ams before the event starts. On each day, half the players participate in pro-ams, while the other half is free to do whatever they want. Usually, they will spend at least a little time on their off day practicing at the driving range or putting. This year, I arrived in town Wednesday night, and so was only able to see the second day of pro-ams. Since they don't publish the schedule for the pro-ams ahead of time, I had no idea who was going to be playing when. As it turned out, among the people I did not see at all on Thursday were Jeong Jang, Hee-Won Han, Shi Hyun Ahn (someone told me she skipped her pro-am; was she ill?), and Gloria Park (although I saw her practicing on the chipping green).

Hee-Won walks the course with her husband

Soo Yun at this year's pro-am
SeoulSisters.com exclusive photo

I got there at about 9 am. The weather was overcast and the temperature pleasant. Apparently it has not rained here in more than a month, so I thought how ironic it would be to get rain at last during the golf tournament. But in fact, it never rained, and ended up clearing up later. It actually got pretty darn hot, as a matter of fact. The same pattern repeated itself each day: cloudy and somewhat cool in the morning, then the clouds would burn away and it would be hot.

After I got a pro-am list, I sought out the player who had left earliest: Soo Yun Kang. I caught up with her on the 7th hole. As usual, she seemed to be having a good time with her amateurs. On the par 3 8th (the tricky hole with a water carry), she nailed her tee shot, and they made birdie. She had a Bean Pole golf bag now, confirming that she has in fact moved from Astra to Bean Pole as her primary clothing sponsor. The bag itself was bright pink. Typical Soo Yun!