LOS ANGELES – South Korean golf great Pak Se-ri, who won five Majors and 25 LPGA Tour titles in a 20-year career, was thrilled as she became a tournament host this week at the LPGA Seri Pak Championship.
The former LA Open, still played at Palos Verdes Golf Club, was renamed in tribute of the 46-year-old who pioneered a wave of talented South Korean players becoming international stars.
“It’s really a dream come true,” Pak said on March 19. “It’s great to come back to the United States and have my own tournament.”
Pak, inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2007, retired in 2016 and since then has served as a commentator and businesswoman in her homeland.
Her event marks the LPGA’s return to the United States this season after events in Thailand, Singapore and China.
“It’s a perfect match for this week,” Pak added. “Most exciting is I’m seeing a lot of players. Hope to be creating many opportunities for players who dreamt about playing the LPGA.”
Her event is near where Tiger Woods stages his PGA event at Riviera.
“I just started. I’m going to be better than Tiger in the future,” Pak said with a laugh. “Of course it’s not as high as what Tiger does because Tiger is such a great player.
“But at the same time, it’s women’s side and especially I’m Asian. I’m trying to do my best. I’m trying to work hard. I’m really thankful. I’m a really lucky person.”
Asked about the secret to South Korea’s success in women’s golf – the country’s golfers have won the Majors a total of 35 times and rank second behind the US (206) – Pak said: “They are so strong mentally. That’s the biggest of it.”
She can also see her legacy in the LPGA greats who followed her path from South Korea to global success.
“It’s very proud to see,” Pak said. “Every single year more players come from my country and they play really well. They’re really successful.
“I’m really proud to see it happen, not only Koreans but many Asians. It’s really great to see that. The past and future here is more players from Asia.”
A perfect example is China’s fourth-ranked Yin Ruoning, the 21-year-old defending champion who also won the Women’s PGA Championship in 2023.
Yin likes having Pak’s name on the event.
“Se-ri is such a legend,” she said. “It’s just amazing to be part of the field. I would love to meet such a legend. That would be my dream.”
Meanwhile, world No. 1 Lilia Vu is back after withdrawing from the last two Asian events due to illness.
The American headlines the field of 144 golfers who are battling it out for the title and a cut of the US$2 million (S$2.7 million) purse. AFP
