Pak Se-ri Youngest Hall of Famer
By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
South Korean golfer Pak Se-ri became the 23rd member of the LPGA Hall of Fame Thursday at the McDonald’s LPGA Championship at Bulle Rock in Havre de Grace, Maryland.
At the $2 million event, which Pak has won three times _ 1998, 2002 and 2006 _ the 29-year-old golfer officially qualified for entrance into the Hall of Fame after completing the first round.
Pak, from Daejeon, is the youngest player and the first Asian as well as the first Korean among the 23 inductees.
Pak will enter into the Hall of Fame at the annual induction ceremony at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida on Nov. 12.
``This is the best moment of my life and I’m happy to be an LPGA member joining the Hall of Fame. This is my biggest dream and dreams do come true,’’ said Pak after the round.
Before the tour, what Pak needed to be inducted was to fulfill the criteria of having a 10-year tour career. She had fulfilled the other two requirements _ 27 points and capturing a major title by topping the Michelob Ultra Open in May 2004.
Defending champion Pak teed off with veteran Pat Hurst of the United States and 2007 Women’s World Cup of Golf winner Julieta Granada of Paraguay.
On the front nine, she missed several birdie chances and until the 12th hole, stayed even par.
In the par-4 13th, Pak birdied to finish 1-over-par 73 to tie for 47th.
To celebrate her milestone, a press conference was held with LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens.
``The LPGA Tour and the World Golf Hall of Fame are one of the hardest things in all of sports to qualify for, and Se-ri has accomplished a feat that only 22 LPGA members have done before her,’’ said Bivens. ``The entire LPGA family is so proud of her achieving this wonderful accomplishment.”
``Se-ri has proven herself to be one of the greatest champions on the LPGA Tour and its appropriate that she be recognized with the greatest players of the game,” said Jack Peter, senior vice president and chief operating officer of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Other South Korean golfers also congratulated her on the achievement.
``What Pak has done makes us proud and increases our morale on the tour,’’ 2007 Corning Classic winner Kim Young said.
``I wonder who else will repeat her feat among the juniors,’’ said Lee Jee-young, the runner-up at the Fields Open and Michelob Ultra Open this season.
After being qualified for the Hall of Fame, Pak set a new goal.
``I will try to achieve the Grand Slam and Player of the Year award. When I came to the United States, getting into the Hall of Fame was my first goal. As I have accomplished this, I believe I can do the rest of them,’’ she said.
Pak is one win shy of a Grand Slam.
Since her rookie season in 1998, she has notched 23 LPGA titles including five major tournaments.