Saiki finally fulfils junior potential at Wegmans

BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2004 Wegmans Rochester LPGA | Wrap | 28 Jun 2004

Kim Saiki today won her first USLPGA Tour event at the Wegmans Rochester LPGA and for many, there has been a big question mark as to why if had not come sooner.

Now in her twelfth year on the USLPGA Tour, Saiki has struggled to capitalise on what is a fine swing throughout that time, 33rd place in 1996 being her best season. There has been the occasional good finish with runner up placings on four occasions but in the main it has been a disappointing career to date for such a talented amateur who had tasted immediate success on lesser tours when turning professional in the late 1980’s. In 1983 Saiki had won the World Junior and US Junior titles and played on the UCLA team prior to joining the professional ranks.

When I first laid eyes on Saiki it was at the Australian Ladies Masters on the Gold Coast when she immediately appealed to me as a player with a fine golf swing. That she has not been able to get across the line until this week has no doubt surprised more than just me. Saiki’s game had reached the point where just a few weeks ago she was contemplating taking a teaching job in the New York area, but now realises that a change of plans may be necessary.

She led from day one but was caught and passed by Rosie Jones today, in the middle of the final round. Perhaps surprisingly it would be the more experienced a tough Rosie Jones who would falter in the run to the line, leaving Saiki to run out the winner by four over Mi Hyun Kim and Jones.

Jones had moved one ahead through nine holes as Saiki struggled with an early double bogey at the second and the realisation that perhaps her first win was just hours away. She regrouped on the back nine however with birdies at the 14th and 17th and as Jones fell away she was afforded the luxury of enjoying the fanfare as she played the last, four ahead.

With the US Women’s Open just five days away, much interest was in the performance of Annika Sorenstam and Juli Inkster two of the likely contenders there. It was a solid if unspectacular week for Sorenstam finishing seventh and for Inkster a disappointing weekend after a good start eventually winding up in 14th place.

Of the Australasians, the improving Katherine Hull and Rachel Teske, the defending champion here, shared fourteenth place, Joanne Mills and Michelle Ellis were 29th, Mardi Lunn 41st and Nadina Taylor 70th.

The LPGA now heads for South Hadley, Massachusetts for the US Women’s Open where twelve Australians and one New Zealander have starts.