South Korean Women Golfers Club Their Way To Glory

[geronl]

http://asia.nikkei.com/magazine/20160714-VIRTUAL-GETS-REAL/Life-Arts/South-Korea-s-women-golfers-club-their-way-to-glory

As of July 11, according to the official Rolex Rankings, nine of the top 20 players in the world were from South Korea, as were 20 of the top 50.

excerpt

SEOUL There is not much space for golf in crowded South Korea, but there are more than 3,000 driving ranges in its cities that stay open late into the night and offer lots of swings for little money.

On a warm June evening in Mapo, a northwestern district of the capital, ball after ball hits the netting that surrounds the facility.

It was in a place like this that Chun In-gee started playing. "We went to a driving range with one of my father's friends," Chun told the Nikkei Asian Review. "It was difficult for me at first, but I liked the challenge and wanted to get better."

She got a lot better. Last July, Chun won the U.S. Women's Open, one of the five biggest events on the sport's calendar, collecting $810,000 in prize money.

Chun did not do as well at the U.S. Women's Open, held earlier this month, but three other South Korean golfers tied for third with world No. 1 Lydia Ko, who was born in South Korea and then emigrated to New Zealand.

[geronl]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/11/sports/golf/south-koreas-golf-dominance-leaves-some-of-worlds-best-out-of-olympics.html

South Korea’s Golf Dominance Leaves Some of the World’s Best Out of the Olympics

excerpt

SAN MARTIN, Calif. — They have been tracking results week after week as compulsively as players in a fantasy league do. In South Korea, where people are passionate about women’s golf and the Olympics, the composition of the team that the country will send to the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro next month has drawn intense scrutiny.

“Every single week we talk about who is going to be playing, how they’re going to prepare and they talk about the gold medal,” said Se Ri Pak, who will serve as the captain of the South Korean women’s Olympic squad. She added, “Our country is taking it really, really seriously.”

In women’s golf, South Korea is like a cribbage player who has to slough off cards from a strong hand. In the current world rankings, the country boasts seven of the top 14 players, and 10 of the top 20. The Olympic qualification standards dictate that every player in the top 15 is eligible to compete but no country can have more than four representatives in the 60-player field.

The women representing South Korea will be a Dream Team, with a group so formidable there likely will be no place for Ha-na Jang, who began the week ranked 10th in the world.

[mountaineer]

My husband and I are big fans of women's golf and have attended many LPGA tournaments. We don't care where a player was born - we just want to see good golf, and we're never disappointed.

Lydia Ko's achievements are amazing, far beyond what the fabled Tiger Woods accomplished at her age. Better, she does it with grace and humor.

[geronl]

These articles didn't even mention Choi Na-Yeon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choi_Na-yeon

[mountaineer]

Lydia Ko wins again this weekend in Ohio, after a four-hole playoff with Ariya Jutanagarn of Thailand and Mirim Lee (South Korea).
What a great weekend of golf, when you also consider The Stenson-Mickelson Open Championship and Aaron Baddeley winning after a 5-1/2 year drought.