2005 Safeway Classic

Next I went to see Grace Park. She was playing with a local news crew as her amateurs (they were all pretty good, even the women), and they were being filmed, so they were probably on the news that night. Anyway, I started watching her on 15. When she came off the green on 16, she saw me, and her eyes lit up. 'Eric! Wow, everyone is here this week!' she said, smiling. Have I mentioned that Grace is a very classy lady?

A Grace fan told me that Grace had changed putters recently, and spent a lot of time having the putter makers 'Yes' tweak the loft, etc., on it to her specifications. Apparently it hasn't helped her. According to Grace, she hadn't made anything all day using it. In general, she still seemed a bit off her seed, but the awesomeness of her shots was still impressive.

It was 3 PM, and still no sign of Se Ri.

Grace smashes a drive
SeoulSisters.com exclusive photo

Jimin Kang
SeoulSisters.com exclusive photo

After taking a few pics of Aree Song while she was signing autographs (she seems like such a nice kid. She just does), I located Jimin Kang. She was playing with a bunch of guys from a talk radio show. She is even more of a cutup than I thought. She was constantly egging the guys on, chiding them not to hit their putts short, etc., all with a big smile on her face.

The most memorable moment with her came on the 9th hole. One of her amateurs hit a monstrous drive right onto the 10th fairway. Jimin decided to use that shot, as it was only 89 yards from the flag. But over massively tall trees. She went first and hit a gorgeous iron to within about 8 feet. Spectacular shot. When someone in her group asked her if she had hit the green, she looked at him for a moment, then replied, 'Of course!'. It was hilarious the haughty way she said that (but of course, with a smile!).

Se Ri never did show up, as it turned out...

Day 1: The Koreans on the march
Day 1 at the Safeway Classic turned out to be a great one for the Korean players, as several of them shot very low scores to crowd the top of the leaderboard. The weather was ideal for scoring, with relatively little in the way of wind, and greens that accepted approach shots nicely. I personally followed two groups for most of the day: Young Kim and Jeong Jang in the morning, then Hee-Won Han and Christina Kim in the afternoon. Turns out both groups provided a lot of fireworks!

The weather is hot here. Not a cloud in the sky, and the sun beating down mercilessly. Very unlike the Northwest. I got to the course at a little after 8:30, and arrived in time to see Mi Hyun Kim preparing to tee off. She was wearing a cute red number with a skirt. Young Kim and JJ were in the group ahead of her, and I caught up to them on the second hole. Here are some highlights from the rest of the round (there were a lot of them!).

Hole 2: This is a par 3 with a long green, the flag near the back. JJ had a 12 foot birdie try which she nailed. Young Kim was on the fringe hole high, eight feet right of the hole. She too made her birdie. I was liking this!

Hole 3: Everyone drove the same distance, into the middle of the fairway, just feet apart. JJ's approach ended up in the deepish rough to the left of the green, only ten feet from the hole, though. And wouldn't you know, she chipped it in for birdie. Young had a 20 foot birdie putt but missed. JJ -2, tied for lead, YK Even

Hole 5: Gorgeous par 5 dogleg left with water along the left side. JJ nearly reached in two. Her third shot she pitched over the flag about five feet. Just before her birdie try, a fire truck started sounding in the distance, which was appropriate, because JJ was en fuego. She nailed the birdie, moved to 3 under and the lead. Young was 20 feet to the right of the flag and two putt for par. JJ -3, YK Even

Jeong Jang chips during round 2

JJ had a lot to smile about this year

Hole 6: I'm telling you, ON FIRE! JJ hit her approach from the rough to two feet for a kick-in birdie to move to 4 under. YK hit her approach from rough; it took one bounce and stopped dead five feet short. She made birdie. JJ -4, YK -1

Hole 7: The second par 5 on the front. This is a reachable one for many players. All three ladies hit 240 yard drives to virtually the same spot. JJ put her second just in front of the green, chipped just past the flag, then dunked another 2 foot birdie. Young had to chip her ball over the bunker, and she was short sided. Her ball ended up on the fringe, about ten feet from the hole, but she nailed the birdie anyway! These two Korean ladies are burning up the course! JJ -5, YK -2

Hole 8: This is a very scary par 3 over water with a treacherous green. JJ hit her iron so close it was awe inspiring; no more than a foot and a half. ON FIRE! Young was maybe three feet away, and yes, both made birdie. WEEE-OOO! They were starting to gather a crowd, and no wonder: at 6 under, JJ was now in the lead, and Young Kim (-3) was in the top 5. Seoul Sisters Fighting!

Hole 12: The final par 5. Young struggled from the tee, hitting it left, then hitting a bad second shot. Her iron was 20 feet right of the hole, and she had to hit a downhill tricky putt for birdie. She didn't make it, but came close. JJ got to the front in two, chipped to two feet, and yes, made another short birdie to move to 7 under, into a tie for the lead with Amy Hung. Young Kim was at 3 under.

Hole 13: Another fun par 3 over water. JJ hit a bad iron here, well right, and her chip wasn't great, but she saved par with a 6 foot putt. Young, meanwhile, put her iron on the green, 20 feet from the hole. For some reason, it looked makeable to me. And make it she did. Oh yes! 4 under for her, 7 under for JJ, who was now back in the lead because Hung had bogied 13 moments earlier.