Grace Park`s 4m Winning Putting

Neck-and-neck with everyone holding breath.

It was the final round 4 of Michelob Light Open, the inaugural event of the US LPGA Tour held yesterday at Kingsmill G.C. in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Grace Park started the round, maintaining a one-stroke lead over the other players. Probably due to the stress arising out of her attempt to win the first season championship, her first tee shot landed in the water. On the fourth hole, she shanked an iron shot into the gallery. Over 72 holes, she had three double bogeys.

From the hole 5, she made three consecutive birdies. But Cristie Kerr conjured up an eagle in hole 7, and fled ahead of Park with a two-stroke lead. Up to the thirteenth hole, each of them made one bogey, making no dramatic forward move.

Kerr widened the gap with one more birdie in the fourteenth hole. At least by this time, it seemed impossible for Park to win her first season title.

But all these were a precursor to what would come out later. In the last four holes, the winner was determined. Kerr missed her second shot in hole 15, where Park snatched up one birdie and narrowed the gap.

The highlight came in hole 16. Park`s tee shot bounced off the tree on the right of the fairway, and drove her into the rough. But Park made a 5 m birdie with iron 7.

On the other hand, Kerr landed her second shot off the green and made bogeys in a row. Regaining the one-stroke lead, Park maintained the par-save all through until the seventeenth hole.

Needing only par at 18 for the victory, Park drove into the rough, missed the green with her second shot and chipped to 20 feet. If she had ended up with 8-under, she could have had an overtime with Webb, Ochoa, and Kerr.

But Park is a golfer who does not know of giving up. She has never given up a leading final round to any other player throughout her amateur career. Her 4 m par-putting rolled across the green and fell into the hole cup.

The par-putting blew up the hope of American golf fans for an American player`s winning a LPGA event in 10 months, as well as the dim hopes of Webb and Ochoa.

Young-Sik Ahn ysahn@donga.com