South Korea’s Park will officially qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame if she completes the first round of the golf major championship Thursday in Seattle, Washington. She was the only player in the morning session to post a round in the 60s. “All year this year I have walked up on the practice rounds and said, see that auto, if I get it, it’s yours”. But after the round most of the questions she received were about the 13th hole.
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Park, 27, had opened Thursday with a 1-over 72.
An ailing Park In-bee hopes to show she belongs in the hall-of-fame, while red-hot Ariya Jutanugarn is aiming for a record-tying fourth straight win at this week’s Women’s PGA Championship. “The last month for me was kind of a tough time”. Hall of Famers Annika Sorenstam, Se Ri Pak, Juli Inkster and Karrie Webb were among the crowd greeting Park.
“I don’t have (a car)”, said Brittany, “so I’m really excited”.
Park has been dealing with inflammation in the tendons and ligaments around her left thumb.
For the first seven holes, Park was near-flawless, hitting every fairway and green in regulation – and making birdies on both par-5 holes to get to 2 under. Park becomes the youngest ever to be eligible at the age of twenty seven.
She nearly pulled off the shot of the day at the par-three ninth when her tee shot found the green and rolled towards the hole only to bounce off the flag. She was focused and determined.
“Yeah, it was a pretty good day today”, said Henderson with a big smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye.
Lewis was 2 under through 10 holes, but she bogeyed three of her final five holes to finish at 2 over. But she missed it – really the only bad putt all day.
The thumb injury has bedeviled Park for months, and she has taken breaks from competition.
“The score is obviously not the greatest, but I’m satisfied with the score today”, Park said. “I’m not going to hit it as far as I usually do”. Nobody told me the Hall of Fame should be your last goal or anything like that. “And it obviously wasn’t easy to get there”, Park said. It says if Park wins the Evian Championship, the achievement will then be called a “super career grand slam”. “It’s going to take deep in my heart”. “There’s still a lot of golf to be played”. Eighteen years later, 10 of the world’s top 25 golfers hail from Pak’s country.
And the Canadian teenager closed with birdies at Nos.
“I donate it to my sister”, the world No. 4 said after a 4-under 67 gave her a two-shot lead over Christina Kim in the women’s second major of the season.
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There’s something about the Pacific Northwest that brings out the best in Brooke Henderson’s game.
