Grace Park bids for 2nd win

Grace Park, 21, of Ewha Womans University, is bidding for her season's second win at the 2000 U.S. LPGA Tour JAL Big Apple Classic to open on July 13.

The LPGA rookie, dubbed "Amazones of the Grass," is also to compete in next week's U.S. Women's Open, the third major tournament of the season.

The Big Apple Classic's New York New Rochelle course is not that advantageous to Park, undisputed long driver who lacks accuracy, because it has a short course of 6,161 yards for par 71 and has many ups and downs.

Playing in the LPGA for the first time this year, Park said she felt acutely that accuracy is more important than distance. If she plays with composure, she will have a chance to win the trophy, experts said.

If she wins the tournament this time for her second win, she will certainly become the rookie of the year in the absence of competitors as the third Korean golfer winning the coveted title after Pak Se-Ri in 1998 and Kim Mi-Hyun in 1999.

A rookie gets 150 points if she wins an LPGA title, 80 points for runner-up, 75 points for third finisher and the smallest 10 points for the 40th. If tied in total points, the player recording the lowest average number of strokes is honored as the rookie of the year.

Among the women golfers active in the U.S. only Pak Se-ri does not participate in the tournament. Most of world top class golfers compete in the tournament. They include Karrie Webb of Australia with the largest four wins and Annika Sorenstam of Sweden who are ranked first and second in world ranking, respectively.

Last year, Sherri Steinhaur of the United States took the championship after beating Lorie Kane of Canada in the fifth hole of the playoff.