Golfer Park In-bee achieved a career grand slam by winning the Ricoh Women’s British Open early Monday morning.
Park, ranked first in the world, became only the seventh LPGA golfer in the world to win at least four different majors over a career, the only Asian woman to have done so. She now joins the elite league of women golfers that includes Louise Suggs, Mickey Wright, Pat Bradley, Juli Inkster, Karrie Webb and Annika Sorenstsam.
Park, 27, won her seventh career major at 12-under 276, beating another South Korean golfer Ko Jin-young by three. She started the final day of the British Open at five-under, three shots behind overnight leaders Ko and Teresa Lu of Taiwan. Ko, 20, a Korean LPGA member playing in her first major, finished second place at 9-under par, a shot ahead of compatriot Ryu So-hyeon and Lydia Ko, a Korean-born New Zealand golfer.
A “Pak Se-ri kid” -- a generation of Korean young women golfers who followed in the footsteps of the first Korean woman golfer to win the McDonald’s LPGA Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open in 1998 -- Park won the British Open on her third try.
Her win probably owes a lot to determination and dedication to achieve her goal. Inspired by Pak, she took up golf as an elementary school student and won numerous junior championships. In 2001, she went to the U.S. to continue her training and joined the LPGA tour in 2007. In 2008 she won the U.S. Women’s Open, where 10 years earlier, Pak took off her shoes and socks and went into the water to hit a ball that had landed into the rough bordering the water hazard at the 18th. That shot extended the match, which she won on the 20th hole.
Korean golfers and non-golfers alike still remember that scene vividly. The country was going through a financial crisis at the time and Pak’s victory showed that with grit and determination, one could overcome seemingly impossible obstacles.
On Monday morning, Park showed what one can achieve with determination and dedication. She suffered a slump for several years following the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open win until 2012 when she won the Evian Championship. She proved that she was back in form by winning three majors the following year -- ANA Inspiration, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open. Yet, the British Open continued to elude her. In 2013, Park shared 42nd place while last year she finished fourth. Monday’s victory will be all the sweeter for Park who persevered and never gave up.
Ever since Pak pioneered the path, Korean women have been dominating the game at the LPGA. The top three positions at the British Women’s Open were filled by Koreans. Of their phenomenal success, U.S. player Christie Kerr said, “They are machines. They practice 10 hours a day.” The Korean women golfers show us that success is earned, earned through determination and dedication.
