Magazine 2003 Mobile Tournament of Champions

Volume 1, Number 18 November 19, 2003

Pages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Results

Another solid day for Peanut led to a
4th place finish
Reuters/Tami Chappell

Mi Hyun Kim played another great little round on Sunday. Her front nine was not particularly amazing, a birdie on 3 followed by a bogey on 8 and a birdie on 9. She was one under, but by that point, her chief rivals, Han and Delasin, were threatening to make a move away from the crowd. Kimmie responded with two more birdies, on 11 and 13, to climb to 6 under par. She was still only a shot out of the lead and had a few holes to go. But she was not able to get anything to drop, though every putt was still knocking on the door. Finally she reached 18, and had a wonderful approach that left her with maybe five feet for birdie. Earlier, Laura Davies had posted a 7 under par 65 and 7 under par total for the event. Peanut needed the birdie on the last hole to tie Davies and have any chance of winning. But the putt did not drop, and Mi Hyun had to settle for a tie for fourth with Grace Park, who had managed her own late run. Still, another 3 under par 69 for Mi Hyun, and 16 greens in regulation, heralded the possibility that Mi Hyun's slump may at last be over. Were it not for the troubles she experienced on Thursday, she might very well have lifted the cup on Sunday.

So that left just one Korean who could upset the Delasin victory march. But Delasin moved to 8 under par, and it looked like she was not about to let go. But then a funny thing happened. Despite one great iron after another, Delasin stopped making birdie putts. Hee-Won was also hitting good shots, but had made only one birdie on the front, offset by a bogey. Her putter came alive on the back, though, and she started to slowly, inexorably, reel Delasin in. First a birdie on 10, followed by a few near misses. Then another birdie on 13, a par 5 which Delasin did not birdie. Dorothy's lead was now two over Hee-Won. On the tricky par 3 14th, Hee-Won hit another great iron, using the hill to her advantage. She nailed that birdie too, while once again Dorothy missed an excellent birdie chance. The lead was only one shot.

By now Delasin, who had not won or frankly even contended for more than a year was starting to feel the pressure. You could see the look of dread on her face. But she still did not make any mistakes that cost her strokes. If Hee-Won was going to win, she would have to earn it. But Hee-Won missed good chances on 15 and the par 5 16th. The last was especially painful, as she hit her second shot to the front of the green and left herself with an enormous putt for eagle. Despite a good try, she could not get it close enough to make the birdie, and had to settle for par. Delasin, meanwhile, had been in the greenside bunker, and could not get it close enough to get up and down for her birdie. But she, too, made par.

Hee-Won battled back from three shots down
Reuters/Tami Chappell

Hee-Won watches her putt for birdie
during the playoff
Reuters/Tami Chappell

Two holes left. Hee-Won had honors, and decided it was time to apply some pressure. She did this by hitting her best shot of the round, a fantastic iron on this par 3 hole to within a few feet. Delasin then stepped up and hit her iron over the green into a dicey lie. The pressure might at last have gotten to be too much for Delasin, and a crucial two shot swing might be in the offing.

Delasin did not hit a very good second shot, the ball rolling about 8 feet past the hole. In fact, she was still outside Hee-Won's tee shot, so went again. The whole tournament might very well be riding on what she could do here. And she was up to the task, drilling the par save with authority. Hee-Won took little notice, stepping up to her own birdie putt and calmly making it. The score was all tied.

Neither player hit a very good approach to 18, and both made par. So for the third time in her career, Hee-Won Han faced a playoff. They both hit good drives, Dorothy well outdriving Hee-Won, as she had most of the week. Hee-Won's second, however, was quite good, to within maybe 12 feet. The pressure was on, but Delasin had the advantage, being much closer to the hole than Hee-Won was. Her second landed very near the hole and rolled to five feet. An excellent birdie chance, putting all the pressure on Hee-Won again.

Alas, as had happened to her so often in days past, her putt was perfectly on line, but one roll short. Delasin then stepped up and made the birdie, then dissolved in tears of relief.

Hee-Won had narrowly missed her third win of the year, and it would have been extra special to her. For the first time, her fiancé was watching her play in person. Though he did not get to see his beloved hoist a trophy, he did get to see her play with class and poise beyond her years. Something we all have gotten quite used to seeing from Hee-Won over the past three years, in fact. And that little extra bit of Honeymoon money couldn't hurt, either!