Kim leads unknowns to win US Women's Open
IN: News | LPGA | US Women's Open (2005) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 27 Jun 2005
You could have been forgiven for thinking you had clicked onto the wrong site when looking up the leaderboard on day four of the United States Women's Open. There vying for the lead were two, admittedly high quality, amateurs along with a young Korean Birdie Kim, who would have been the furthest from most minds as a likely contender at the beginning of this intriguing week.
On a golf course that would realistically have been expected to bring the world's best and most experienced players to the fore, here were three or four who may well become just that, but who hardly seemed battle hardened enough to see it through on Sunday.
But see it through they did. 23-year-old Korean, Birdie Kim, who made the name change from her original Ju-Yun Kim in order to more readily identify herself from the large number of 'Kims' who play tournament golf in the US, would go on to win the greatest event in the female game when she birdied the 72nd hole in spectacular fashion.
Playing the last hole, Kim was tied for the lead with 17-year-old Morgan Pressel, who was playing in the group immediately behind Kim. Kim drove it perfectly into the middle of the fairway and hit the sort of shot you might expect in this situation from one so inexperienced and facing the possibility of winning an event that would change her life. She found the bunker right at the uphill dangerous par four and it appeared as if it would be all she could do to somehow make par. If she did not save par she would join the gallant amateur Brittany Lang in the clubhouse at 5 over and leave the outcome of the tournament in the hands of Pressel who had found the fairway behind.
Kim hit the perfect bunker shot but it was gathering speed as it approached the flag and appeared headed for a destination some ten feet past the flag. It caught the middle of the flagstick and dropped in and all of a sudden she was one ahead with Pressel now faced with the near impossible task of matching the Korean's amazing burst of brilliance. Pressel hit a second which perhaps deserved a better fate, but got caught up in the rough feeding off the front right bunker and her chance was all but gone. She ran her approach some fifteen feet past and when she two putted from there she shared second with Lang. Lang herself had bogeyed the last from the 'Kim' bunker just a few minutes earlier, also missing a very good par saving chance from 7 feet.
I thought the suggestion by commentator Johnny Miller that Pressel was robbed by Kim's bunker shot was a little harsh on Kim who executed a beautiful bunker shot under the most extreme pressure and had, after all, been in a position to win the tournament by doing so.
Who is Kim? Well she is yet another of the myriad of young Korean golfers plundering the riches of the LPGA Tour. Every week the LPGA Tour's leaderboard is littered with South Koreans who have either gone to University in the US, or who have moved there after a few seasons playing the Korean Ladies Tour. Kim arrived in the US in 2001 when she played the Futures Tour, winning twice but not earning quite enough to gain her card for the LPGA Tour. In 2003 however she did mange to graduate from the Futures Tour to the main tour although she struggled last season making just three cuts in twenty events. Back at the Q School in November she made it through, finishing in 12th place and she was back to give it another shot.
This season, after her best finish on tour when 19th at her season opening MasterCard Classic, she hasn't exactly set the world on fire either with just one top ten in twelve starts since.
As was the case with Michael Campbell last week at Pinehurst, this win will change the life of Birdie Kim forever perhaps even more so than Campbell. As has been the case with the likes of Se Ri Pak and to a lesser extent, Grace Park, Kim will be inundated with commercial offers from Korea especially. She has exemption for the next five years on the LPGA Tour and very importantly now, has the self belief that comes with winning against the best field that the female game can muster.
For Pressel and Lang, both still teenagers, this would have been a great moment should they have been able to win but they did not and that is that. They are both clearly going to be stars when they make the decision to turn professional with Pressel already endearing herself to many with the manner in which she wears her heart of her sleeve. One thing that has come out of this week is the fact that despite a Korean winning the US Open there is a growing depth amongst the emerging young American players, perhaps healthier than it has been for many years.
Spare a thought for Lorena Ochoa, who on a golf course that perhaps didn't necessarily suit her, at times, wayward driving, she found a way to grab a share of the lead with one hole to go. The 18th was far and away the most dangerous hole all week both from the tee and from that point on. When Ochoa arrived on the tee at three under for the day on a golf course where that sort of scoring seemed almost impossible this late in the tournament, she reached for the three wood which had served her so well all week. With a carry across the water of less than 200 yards surely it would not be a problem. A par could well win her the tournament. When the Mexican hit that shot fat and left, it fell into the water and with it went any real hope of winning the tournament. If she could make par with the second ball and finish with double bogey she still had a chance to perhaps figure in the finish but when she eventually signed for a quadruple bogey 8 the damage had well and truly been done. She composed herself for the post round interview and in fact showed what a class act she is by even agreeing to do one but she was hurt. Ochoa will be back however and perhaps sooner than later.
Natalie Gulbis, who seems more focused on her real job now and reaping the benefits of such and Lorie Kane shared fourth. Kane's final round of 69 was the only one to break par on what had been a tough and drama filled final day.
Given 15-year-old Michelle Wie's effort when finishing second at the McDonalds LPGA Championship two weeks ago, it was perhaps she who was considered the most likely to challenge on the final day but she went to the other way with a last round of 82 to finish 23rd.
Annika Sorenstam was also disappointing, if that is possible from one who has done so much, when never really threatening all week. She eventually finished sharing 23rd place with Wie amongst others.
Of the Australians Rachel Hetherington and Karrie Webb were the only ones to make the cut but could only share 31st place.
The LPGA now heads to New Jersey for the new event the HSBC World Match Play where 64 players will tee it up in a knockout format.
