Lexus Cup

The pivotal match was the eleventh of the day, and it couldn't have been more intriguing. It matched up undefeated Seon Hwa Lee, the 2006 LPGA Rookie of the Year, against Julieta Granada, the player who finished second to Lee in that competition. Many in the American press had been suggesting that perhaps Granada was the better of the two, and that the only reason she didn't win the Rookie of the Year award was that she peaked too late. Elsewhere in this issue, I talk about the fairness of that trend. But in the meantime, Lee had a great chance to quiet the naysayers in an important match up against her chief competitor.

The two young players waged a pitched battle all day, and by the time they reached the sixteenth hole, Lee held onto a narrow one hole lead. Most of Seon Hwa's teammates were done with their matches, and so gathered at the 16th green to cheer their friend on. The Asian team really had shown a great camaraderie all week, and with the potential win so close to happening, they were on pins and needles, trying to will Lee's aim to be true.

Whether it was the team spirit of the Asian team, or the heart of young Seon Hwa Lee, Lee rose to the occasion and delivered. On the 16th hole, she hit a laser shot right at the flag, stopping it only inches from going in. She tapped in the putt to give herself a two up lead with two to play. Her teammates went crazy with joy at that result. On 17, Granada put her approach into a greenside bunker, while Lee put hers about 30 feet from the flag. Granada needed a miracle to extend the match, and she almost got one: her bunker shot came close to going into the hole. But it did not, and when Lee lagged her putt within inches of the hole, Granada conceded the match. Lee's win gave Asia a 12 1/2 - 11 1/2 point victory. The Asian squad flooded onto the green, embracing Lee and shouting for joy. The celebration continued for a long time, as many players grabbed bottles of champagne and happily drank. They could not contain their happiness for long; even when they posed for a team victory photo, some players started to spritz the others with champagne, provoking chaos as everyone ran to try to escape the dousing.

In the end, Captain Grace Park had been invaluable. She not only guided her team brilliantly with her pairings, but she also was an indefatigable cheerleader, helping to build camaraderie between the twelve ladies. She made sure that Yokomine, the lone non-Korean who did not play on the LPGA, was included in the festivities, and Yokomine responded with a great record all week. Se Ri Pak, although she only won one of her three matches, was also a welcome presence; having a Hall of Famer like her on the team helped to offset the advantage the International team seemed to have with Sorenstam on their side.

Hee-Won Han, Meena Lee and Jee Young Lee all contributed by earning points and playing tough. Jee Young in particular exceeded most expectations, although Han's clutch birdie to win her match when teamed with Grace on day two was one of the pivotal moments of the entire week. Meena Lee was fantastic in combination with Jee Young, winning one match and almost beating the Sorenstam-Gulbis team as well, but it was her tie against Stanford in the singles that helped keep momentum going Asia's way at a crucial moment.

But without a doubt, the two stars for the Asian team were Young Kim and Seon Hwa Lee. The two teamed to win an important match in the first round, then continued their great play by going undefeated the rest of the week. In the second round, Kim was arguably the star when she won the point that allowed the Asian team to go ahead after two days were done. Hopefully, Kim gained some confidence that will be reflected in her performance in the 2007 season. She will get an early chance to show how much her success at the Lexus helped her when she represents South Korea at the Women's World Cup in January.

As for Seon Hwa Lee, she played the most pressure filled match of the entire week, and won it all for Asia. Afterwards, Grace could hardly contain her happiness for what Lee had done. "I'm so happy. Seon Hwa, what a finish!" Grace said. "I was shaking so much. I've never been so nervous." Even Lee, normally a very cool customer, admitted to a bit of nerves. "It was a very difficult putt," she said of her lag putt on 17 to close out the match. "There were a lot of people watching me. I didn't want to make a mistake." Well, she most certainly didn't!

With the Lexus Cup now split one win each between the two teams, and the Asian team getting more confidence in the team format, perhaps this competition will start to build momentum and become a great event that players from both sides look forward to contesting every year. But regardless of the future, the second Lexus Cup provided thrills, excitement, tense moments, vindication for the Asian team and Captain Grace Park, and a golden finish that a young player named Seon Hwa Lee will never forget. It's hard to ask for much more than that!