Ahn Shi-hyun Plays Fantastic Game

It was a great day for 19-year-old rookie Ahn Shi-hyun (Kolon Elord).

“Cinderella,” Ahn Shi-hyun hit the day’s best score with a six under par and 66 strokes to become the star of the third round of the Safeway International (total prize 1.2 million dollars) of the LPGA tour, held at Superstition Mountain GC (par 72, 6620 yards) Arizona on March 21.

She totaled 14 under par and 202 strokes with seven birdies and one bogey on the day, and jumped up to sole possession of second place, behind Annika Sorenstam (16 under par, 200 strokes) by two strokes.

Ahn started badly. Starting the third round with last year’s Rookie of the Year Lorena Ochoa (Mexico) and six-win veteran player Donna Andrews (U.S.), Ahn bogeyed absurdly on the first hole (par 4). The 162 yard second shot, hit by a six-iron, flew over the green and came into a paper bag held in the gallery. She dropped it, approached and made three on, but missed a par-putt, making a bogey.

However Ahn recovered from the mistake on the first hole with two-meter birdie putting at the second hole (par 5), winning a rising flow. Afterwards she kept on birding.

Parading straight birdies at the 6, 9, 10, 14, and 16 holes, Ahn finished the game with a two-meter birdie putt at last at the 18th hole. (par 5)

She was especially good at iron shots. Her iron shot was so accurate that five shots out of seven of her birdies fell two meters close to a pin. At the ninth hole (par 4), she hit 135 yards with a nine-iron, making the ball 70 centimeters closer to a pin.

Ahn said, “In the beginning, iron shots weren’t made well. But they became better when I had in mind of correcting my swing,” adding, “I feel nervous that I will play on the first time with Sorenstam, whom I have respected. I will play with the attitude that I will learn something from her.”

Ahn joined the final round in the champion group with Sorenstam and Christie Kerr. (U.S, 13 under par, 203 strokes)

Besides Ahn, Pak Se-ri (CJ) and Park Ji-eun (Nike Golf) were listed on the leader board as co-fourth place (11 under par, 205 strokes) differentiated by 5 strokes to the leader.

“Genius girl,” Wie Seong-mi (Michelle Wie) placed ninth (seven under par, 209 strokes) with a two under par following her five under par of the previous day. She has the second chance to be top 10 since she placed at 9th at the Nabisco Championship last year.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com