LPGA Championship 2003: Other Notes from Delaware

Se Ri has a rough time of it
Defending champion Se Ri Pak had one of her worst Majors since joining the LPGA this week. Things didn't get off to a good start, when she dropped out of the preparatory event, the Kellogg-Keebler Classic, saying she was tired following her sojourn to South Korea. Perhaps, but Se Ri usually does not drop out of events because of tiredness; it's usually because she feels there is something she needs to work on. Considering the problems she has had with her driving, that gave her faithful fans cause to worry. The course itself had some particularly high rough, so keeping it in the fairway would be all important. She got off to a great start, at one point being only 1 shot out of the lead, but on the back nine during round 1, her drives started going all over the place. She hung in there for a while, but several late bogeys dropped her to one over on the day. She never really recovered. Besides having occasional problems with her driving, she was also not putting it very well. But she maintained a chipper attitude, despite the fact that, at one point during her first round, her coach, who was following along, asked her for an Advil for a developing headache. She finished 16 shots behind the winners at 10 over par, in 46th place, her second worst finish of the year.

Se Ri drives in round 1
Reuters/Tim Shaffer

For Se Ri fans, there is one other thing to worry about. This now marks four consecutive Majors where she has never really been in contention. She had a so so Nabisco this year; had a chance at the British in 2002 but was never able to get it going on the weekend; and putted herself out of the tournament in the first two days at the Open last year, then clawed her way back to 5th. Here's hoping she can right things in time for next month's US Women's Open; a player of her caliber should be contending at least every other Major in my opinion.

Kim misses cut at second Major
Christina Kim has had a wonderful rookie year so far, but unfortunately she was not able to make the cut in her second Major. This is coming off a pretty good finish at her last tournament. Never fear, though. She maintains her positive outlook, and has after all a lot of time to get used to playing in Majors. She is only 19 years old, don't you know!

Christina looks like she's been in the sun a lot lately!
The News Journal/Bob Herbert