Korea's Women Golfers

THEY occupy four of the top 10 rankings in women's golf, and have the looks to match their prolific skills.

In August 1999, Pak Se Ri was the highest-ranked South Korean at 11th. Six years on, Pak (world No 6) and her Seoul sisters - Grace Park (No 2), Han Hee Won (No 5) and Kim Mi Hyun (No 10) - have broken into the top 10.

And they look set to stay there.

Despite having only 181 courses for its population of 48 million, South Korean golf is so hot that every United States LPGA tournament is televised.

But it is on the fairways where the Koreans really sizzle.

Pak, 27, (left) was the pioneer, winning two Majors - the 1998 US Open and LGPA Championship - in her rookie year.

That made her a national hero and sparked a golf craze that has led to an invasion of the USLPGA Tour by over a dozen Korean players.





Pak is joined by Grace Park, 26, (left) who has more than just a pretty face. Apart from an elegant and athletic swing, she also has six LPGA titles and one Major - last year's Kraft Nabisco Championship.

But there is much more to Korean golf than just Pak and Park.


Kim, 28, stands at a mere 1.55 metres. But the 1999 LPGA Rookie of the Year packs a swing like former Masters champion John Daly. She quipped yesterday: 'My parents told me, 'If you win the Major, you can marry.' So I have to win a Major.' Her best finish in a Major was second at the 2001 British Open.

The list goes on.

Han, 26, is another top Korean golfer. Noted for her putting ability, the 2001 LPGA Rookie of the Year qualified for the US Tour on her first try.


Kang Soo Yun, 28, (left) is one of the fastest rising stars with over US$600,000 (S$980,000) in career earnings since joining the Tour in 2001. Dubbed the 'Fashion Model of the Fairways' for her eye-catching outfits, Kang was in Singapore for last month's Samsung Ladies Masters.

She said: 'We take the game very seriously. In the US, amateur golf is treated as a fun thing. 'In Korea, it's different. Your family pushes you to succeed.'

So who can stop the Korean invasion?

After two rounds of this week's Kraft Nabisco Championship - the first of year's four Majors - Kim is third on four-under 140, a stroke off joint-leaders Annika Sorenstam and Rosie Jones.

Park, fourth on 141, said: 'I want to be at the top. I want to win - that's the only thing I'm thinking about.'

By Alvin Foo
From The Straits Times Interactive, March 27, 2005