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Jane Park vaulted into national prominence
in women's amateur golf in the mid 2000s. It started when
she surprisingly made the cut at the 2003 US Women's Open,
held at Pumpkin Ridge. In fact, she went on to finish in a
tie for 30th, a great result. That same summer, she played
in the US Women's Amateur championship. She got all the way
to the finals on the strength of her brilliant putting, beating
heavily touted junior player Paula Creamer in the semifinals.
However, she lost a heartbreaker to Virada Nirapathpongporn
in the finals 2 and 1. Afterwards, Virada told her that she
would win it next year. Jane also won the prestigious AJGA
McDonald’s Betsy Rawls Girls National Championship in
2003, in the process setting the tournament record.
In 2004, her results have continued to be
impressive. She played on the Curtis Cup team that routed
Britain, alongside Creamer and Michelle Wie. She was the runner
up in the 2004 US Girl's Amateur as well, the biggest tournament
in girl's golf. Finally, she got her chance in the Women's
Amateur, and once again, through a series of brilliant matches,
she made her way to the finals, where she this time was the
favorite to win, playing a virtual unknown named Amanda McCurdy.
And proving Virada correct, this time Jane won it 2 up. In
doing so, she became the first women to win the event after
finishing second the previous year since 1978.
She entered UCLA in 2005, but did not have
a particularly good year in college golf (at least by her
standards; she was still considered one of the top golfers
in the country). After her year was over, she played in the
US Women's Open, not really expecting much, but stunned even
herself by putting herself into contention. Although she eventually
faded to a 10th place finish, it was still a great result
from her, and rejuvenated her confidence in herself. A few
weeks later, she played in the Curtis Cup, the biennial competition
that pits the best US and British women amateur golfers against
each other. She was instrumental in the trouncing the US gave
the Brits, winning three matches and tying one, a team match
where her partner made crucial mistakes that cost them the
win.
She turned pro following the US Women's Amateur
in August. She played a few professional events after that,
getting decent but not amazing results. She then competed
at the 2006 LPGA Q-School., where she finished just two shots
out of earning an exempt card. She competed as a conditional
player for the 2007 LPGA season.
By and large, her 2007 season was not all
that great. She did have a few highlights, though. She had
two top twenties, including a tie for 18th at the Kolon-Hana
Bank. She easily maintained her non-exempt status, but had
to return to Q-School to try to gain an exempt card. This
she did with startling ease: she shot a 65 in the first round,
and led the event wire to wire, capturing the medalist honors
by three shots. So, she would be an exempt player on tour
for the first time in 2008.
Jane wasted little time taking advantage of
her newfound status. In the very first event of the year,
she ended up in a pitched battle with Annika Sorenstam for
the title. Sorenstam only put Park away on the last few holes
on the final day. Just a few weeks later, Park finished third.
She seemed on the way to a great season.
Jane slowed down a bit after that, but notched
two more top tens during the year, and shot a 62 in Arkansas
to capture yet another second place finish. She would earn
more than $600,000 for 2008, more than 10 times her 2007 money
total.
2009 was an off year for Jane, as she struggled
with some nagging injuries. She only finished 60th on the
money list, with just two top tens. Her best tournament was
a tie for 6th at the HSBC Champions early in the year.
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