Korea Rolling at The Spirit

TRINITY, TEX. -- The South Korean team has done everything they can to pull away after two rounds at The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship, but those pesky English keep hanging around. Not many other teams can say the same.

The Korean men’s and women’s team shot a combined 7-under 137 to climb to 18-under par for the championship at Whispering Pines Golf Club. Team England, the defending champion, shot a 6-under 138 and sit only two shots back. The Spirit is scored by totaling the combined best-ball for each two-man and two-woman teams representing 24 countries. England leads all men’s teams at 14-under, while Korea leads the women at 10-under. South Africa climbed up the leader board by matching the Korean’s 137 and sit alone in third, a full six shots back of England.

The secret to Korea’s success has been two talented young girls. Soo-Jin Yang, 16, and Sei-Young Kim, only 14, are running away with the women’s team medal: they hold a 5-shot lead at 10-under for the championship. The Spirit was held at a later date this year, which has made it possible for the Korean golf federation to bring some of their elite players. Yang and Kim are in that class. Both won the Korean Women’s Amateur Championship, Yang this year and Kim in 2006 at age 13. Despite their small size, both are long off the tee. Barry Smith, Yang’s caddie, has been blown away by the power display.

“I’ve seen (Yang) hit golf balls further than most grown men,” said Smith, a caddy at Redstone Golf Club in Humble, Texas. “On the par 4 13th hole she hit a drive I didn’t see her ball land. I told her she might want to hit a provisional. We got up there and she had a 30-foot chip. It was at least a 280, 290 yard drive.”

The duo has known each other for five years, both went to the same school. Familiarity breeds the chemistry that is critical in best-ball format.

“I don’t know how (the girls) are playing so well,” Korean men’s team member Bi-O Kim said, smiling.

The Spirit has been held every other year since 2001, and the international team gold medal has gone to the same country that won the women’s team gold medal at each playing.

For awhile on Thursday it looked like the United State was about to insert itself right in the thick of things. They had climbed to 8-under for the championship with 5 birdies on the day. Then they made the turn. The Americans dropped two shots to fall back to 6-under, 12 shots back.

AJGA Player of the Year Peter Uihlein would probably like to forget the par 3 third hole. It was his and partner Cory Whitsett’s twelfth of the day. Uihlein stuck his approach inside of 5 feet, so Whitsett picked up, thinking par was assured.

Uihlein four-putted for double bogey.

“I just got lazy,” Uihlein said. “I ran it by, then lipped out, and by then I was so rattled. I’ve never four-putted in a tournament before.”

“I shouldn’t have picked up,” Whitsett needled. “I didn’t think you’d three-putt.”

NCAA All-American Tiffany Joh remains upbeat about Team USA’s chances despite the gulf between them and Korea.

“We were making some investments today,” Joh said. “Hopefully we’ll cash in our chips tomorrow. Day three is moving day.”
The Spirit also awards individual medals based on how many birdies a golfer cards in best-ball play. England’s Daniel Willet leads the men’s field with nine, while Sue Kim and Yang lead the women with eight. The Spirit is a 72-hole event and concludes play on Saturday. Of the 96 golfers participating 77 are national champions. Spectators are encouraged. Admission and parking are free and concessions are available for purchase.