Tale of Two Parks: Angela, In-Bee Contend at U.S. Women’s Open

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C., June 29, 2007 – Angela Park and In-Bee Park. The two were like bookends during the 2006 season on the Duramed FUTURES Tour. Good friends from junior golf, the pair of 17-year-old professionals played practice rounds together, ate together and chased each other on the leaderboard throughout the 2006 season.

This week, Park and Park (no relation) are taking turns sharing the lead at the 62nd U.S. Women’s Open Championship. Angela was the first-round leader on Thursday. Today, In-Bee is the clubhouse leader after being only one of 25 players to complete 36 holes in the storm-ravaged championship.

“I’m definitely going to get some sleep and a lot of rest today because it’s going to be a lot tougher over the next two days,” said In-Bee Park, who has posted rounds of 69-73 for the clubhouse lead of even-par 142 at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club.

With players forced to return to the course this morning to complete the first round, the second round was delayed by two hours and 15 minutes. But then humid conditions kicked up afternoon storm activity, suspending play at 1:47 p.m. EDT. Play resumed at 2:16 p.m., after only 29 minutes. But lightning again suspended play at 3:18 p.m., with play eventually being suspended for the day at 5:30 p.m. A total of 132 players must still complete the second round.

Players will return to the course on Saturday at 7:30 a.m., to complete Round 2. A 36-hole cut will be made upon the completion of the second round, with the third round expected to start at 3:30 p.m., in groups of three, using both the first and 10th tees.

USGA officials said it is the intention to play 72 holes in the championship, extending into Monday if necessary. Only the 1987 U.S. Women’s Open Championship stretched into Tuesday, requiring an 18-hole playoff.

Park played 20 holes of golf today and admitted that her good friend’s first-round lead gave her “a lot of motivation” to buckle down and focus in today’s second round. With a morning tee time, Park was one of a few who got through 36 holes before the storms rolled in.

“She played in the morning and I played in the afternoon yesterday,” said Park, 18, of Las Vegas, who finished third on the 2006 Duramed FUTURES Tour’s money list. “I thought if she could play that good out there, then I could play good, too. It gave me a lot of confidence today.”

Even now on the LPGA Tour, the two rookies still spend a lot of time together. They play practice rounds for dinners. But Park said what they both learned last season on the Duramed FUTURES Tour as first-year pros helped prepare them for this year on the LPGA Tour.

“They definitely have a lot of good competition out there, because I never won [on the Duramed FUTURES Tour],” said Park. “It’s really close to the LPGA Tour and I’m glad I got a taste of the professional level last year.”

Angela Park, on the other hand, never started her second round today, but said she is more relaxed sitting on a lead after leading three other times this season in the first round at LPGA Tour events.

“I’m just relaxing and waiting for the weather to clear up,” she said. “And since I’ve been in this position before, I’m very calm and eager to play the next three rounds.”

Here are the four current Duramed FUTURES Tour members of the 24 players in this week’s Open field who completed 36 holes today:

Kris Tamulis (Naples, Fla.) 72-71-143 (+1)

Jane Park (Rancho Cuchamonga, Calif.) 73-75-148 (+6)

Taylor Leon (Dallas) 77-75-152 (+10)

Annie Young (Highland, Utah) 78-76-154 (+12)

Contact: Lisa D. Mickey at lisa@duramedfuturestour.com.