No stopping the Korean tidal
wave of female pro golfers

FROM THE WWW.GOLFWEEK.COM WEBSITE
By ALASTAIR TAIT, REPORTING FROM SUNNINGDALE
If you were in any doubt that Korean golfers are in the process of taking over women’s golf, then all you have to do is look at the numbers here at the Women’s British Open.
For the first time in this championship, the number of Koreans matches the number of Americans in the field – 31 players apiece. Last year there were 26 Koreans to 31 Americans.
Next year could mark another watershed year for Korean golf. There is a good chance Korean golfers will outnumber every other nation in the field when the Women's British Open takes place at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.
The growth of Koreans playing in this championship is absolutely staggering. Eleven years ago there were no Koreans in the Women’s British Open.
Se Ri Pak made history in 1998 when she became the first Korean to play in the Women’s British Open. Pak was the only Korean in the field that year and tied for 34th.
Pak won the tournament in 2001 here at Sunningdale. However, it was her victory in the 1998 McDonald’s LPGA Championship that started a revolution that has brought Korean golf parity with women’s golf in the United States.
Pak is single-handedly responsible for the Korean surge. That LPGA Championship victory inspired young Korean girls to take up the game. Korea has been turning out top women golfers ever since.
Of the 31 Koreans here, three are in the top 10 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, eight are in the top 20, 14 in the top 50 and 32 in the top 100.
By comparison, the United States has two in the top 10, four in the top 20, 14 in the top 50 and 23 in the top 100.
There is a good chance more Koreans are going to be playing on the LPGA in the future, according to Annika Sorenstam.“I think it’s going to be a continuous growth of Asians,” Sorenstam said.
“If you watch the KLPGA (Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association) there is tremendous talent and they all want to be out here. I think for the next five years things will be the same.”
If that’s depressing news for the U.S., then it’s even worse for the British Isles. Thirteen English golfers teed it up in the Women's British Open, along with just four Scots, and three players each from Wales and Ireland.
Needless to say, it’s hard to believe the game actually began in the British Isles and not on some windswept links land on the Korean coastline.
Sorenstam sounded a warning call to nations around the world after her third-round 70. She says more needs to be done or traditional golfing nations are sure to get left behind.
“The key is really to grow the game at an early age,” she said. “It’s very important to stimulate the juniors and get them involved. It’s important for us to keep up with the Koreans. It’s time to learn from what they are doing.”
If you’re looking for even more evidence that American women golfers are just clinging on to Korean coattails by their fingertips, then it comes from the leaderboard here in the last major of the year.
There are 12 Koreans in the top 20 compared to just four Americans heading into the final round.No one can argue with the work ethic of Korean golfers in particular and players from the Far East in general.
Sorenstam paid tribute to the fact they are willing to spend long hours on the practice ground working on their games.
More importantly, golfers of other nations need to match that work ethic.
“That’s what it takes,” Sorenstam said. “If you want to be the best, you‘ve got to do it. That’s what my dad always told me. There are no shortcuts to success. It shouldn’t matter what country you’re from. If you want it badly, you should go get it.”
Pak and Jeong Jang in 2003 are the only two Korean winners of the Women’s British. There are sure to be many more in future. It would come as no surprise if we got a Korean winner on Sunday. There is just no stopping the Korean surge.