2005 McDonald's LPGA Championship

Highlights:

As usual this year, the spotlight shone brightest on Annika Sorenstam. Coming off another dominating performance (this time at the ShopRite), and with one Major already in hand in 2005, Sorenstam was definitely the player to beat.

At first, the Korean contingent did an admirable job. After the first round, Sung-Ah Yim and Meena Lee were both in the top 20 representing the Korean rookies (Yim was only one shot out of the lead). Kimmie posted a respectable 69, and Il Mi Chung, Gloria Park, Aree Song and Jeong Jang were all under par. Gloria managed the feat while playing in the marquee threesome with Annika; she even made a hole-in-one on Friday to dazzle the fans.

By the third round, several Korean players had risen to the top of the leaderboard (but, unfortunately, well behind Sorenstam). Young Kim shot back to back 68s to place herself at 7 under and in the final group of a Major on Sunday for the first time in her career (but, alas, five shots behind Annika). Jang was in third, tied with Michelle Wie among others. And Meena Lee still had an advantage over Creamer, and with ROY points doubled at Majors, looked primed to gain some ground on her in that race.

But except for Wie, all the Koreans went south on Sunday. Wie, however, played brilliantly, although she was too far back to make any kind of run at Sorenstam. She wound up in second place for the first time in her life at a Major.

Gloria acknowledges the crowd after her
hole-in-one on Friday

Se Ri during round 1

Lowlights:

Se Ri Pak had never missed the cut at a Major. Until this week. Her first round 75 put her under the gun, but she still had a chance to recover if she could have found her form on Friday. Instead, she had a run of bogies late in that day that slammed her week shut. Hard to believe she has won this event twice and had two other top tens, although all four of those happened on the old course for this event (they changed the course this year to Bulle Rock in Maryland).

Grace Park didn't even make it to Friday. She dropped out after a terrible 77 on Thursday. Possibly her back is acting up again. Grace had never won this event, but had finished 2nd and 3rd the two previous years.

Shi Hyun Ahn, who finished second to Sorenstam in 2004, was never a factor. She finished 25th. And once again, Hee-Won Han failed to get a top ten in a Major, also finishing 25th.

The biggest disappointment, however, was how the Koreans who were near the top of the leaderboard fared on Sunday. Mi Hyun Kim played a great round of 67 to move to a tie for 7th, but Young Kim, playing in her first final group against Annika, fell apart completely, shooting a 76 and plunging down the leaderboard into a tie with Peanut. Gloria Park also moved up to a tie for 7th with a 71, but Jang shot 3 over and finished 13th. She and Young Kim had the two worst scores of those finishing in the top 20 (along with Meena Lee, who was also 3 over for the day). Meanwhile, Creamer shot a great round and vaulted to a tie for third, meaning she once again gained ground on all the Korean rookies in that race.

Alas, a pretty depressing week for fans of the Seoul Sisters!