LPGA Championship 2003: What a Run

Over the last few weeks, Hee-Won Han has been a pretty consistent player, notching top ten after top ten. It's true that she really hasn't been in contention in any of those events; but it is also true that her consistency suggested that that might soon change.

Indeed, Han's entire career has been on a consistent upward trend since she entered the LPGA. By now the story of her 2001 Rookie of the Year award is legend: how, as a nonexempt player, she qualified for seven events on Monday en route to taking the prestigious prize. In 2002, she moved into the big time with three second place finishes and a near miss for a fourth at the Cisco Match Play Championship, en route to a 14th place finish on the 2002 money list. She would still play bad tournaments in between the good ones, but she had proven with flying colors that she belonged.

Hee-Won had a lot of reason to smile
at the LPGA Championship
AP Photo/Pat Crowe II

Hee-Won waves after completing the low round on Thursday
Reuters/Tim Shaffer

In 2003, it seems as though she has taken another step forward. In nine events coming into the LPGA Championship, she had 5 top tens, including three consecutive ones. She managed a third place at the Safeway Ping, to finish behind her countrywomen Grace Park and Se Ri Pak. And at the Nabisco, she placed 20th. Why is that special? Because it was the first time Hee-Won had ever managed a top 20 in a Major.

Her play at the next Major, this week's tournament, made that result seem positively tame. Indeed, she got out to a great start and for a while seemed to have mastered the way to play a Major like this. Namely, keep the ball in the fairway and give yourself birdie opportunities. By the time she was done on Thursday, Hee-Won found herself in a different position than she had ever been in before: leading a Major all by herself. Though the majority of articles were still about her famous adversary only a few shots back, there was for the first time a bit of recognition being thrown Hee-Won's way as well.

Going out during the morning wave on Friday, Hee-Won picked right up where she left off. As before, she meticulously kept herself out of trouble with great iron shots and numerous fairways hit. She was not hitting it long, but the conditions were such that not a lot of people were. And especially towards the end of her round, she managed a few wonderful shots to keep her round going. Especially noteworthy was an iron shot on one par 3 that was mere inches away from a hole in one. She also put it close on 17 for another birdie. When all was said and done, she stood at 6 under after another round in the 60s, this time a 69. At that time she was several shots ahead of any other contender, and it looked good for her to be atop the leaderboard at the end of the day. Alas, Annika Sorenstam had a fantastic second round that vaulted her to 8 under and first place by two shots, but Hee-Won was still in second, well in contention, and would have a chance on Saturday to play in the final group of a Major for the first time, paired with the top player on tour yet! This would be a golden opportunity for her.

Hee-Won drives during round 1
AP Photo/Pat Crowe II