Se Ri Pak

Started playing golf at age 14 and credits her father as the individual most influencing her career.
In 1996, turned professional and began competing on the Korea LPGA Tour; won six tournaments from 1996-97.
In 1997, qualified for the Tour by winning the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament (with Cristie Kerr) to earn exempt status for the 1998 LPGA season.
In 1998, in her first major championship as an LPGA professional, went wire-to-wire to capture the McDonald's LPGA Championship title, becoming the first rookie since Liselotte Neumann to win a major as her first Tour victory; in her second major championship, became the youngest player to win the U.S. Women's Open after a 20-hole playoff (18-hole playoff followed by two holes of sudden-death with amateur Jenny Chuasiriporn) at Blackwolf Run in Kohler, Wis.; the 92-hole tournament was the longest in women's professional golf history; joined Juli Inkster as the only LPGA players to capture two modern major championships in their rookie seasons; one of six players to win the LPGA Championship and U.S. Women's Open in the same year (Sandra Haynie, 1974; Meg Mallon, 1991; Mickey Wright, 1961 and 1958; Inkster, 1999; and Karrie Webb, 2001); six days later, won the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic and is one of four players to win a tournament immediately following their U.S. Women's Open triumph (Jane Geddes, Meg Mallon and Louise Suggs); two weeks later, won the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic; winner of the 1998 Mercury LPGA Series Bonus Pool; ran away with Rolex Rookie of the Year honors; her closest competitor was Janice Moodie, who was 904 points behind; actually clinched the title nine weeks before the end of the season, following her fourth-place finish at the First Union Betsy King Classic on Sept. 27.
In 1999, posted a wire-to-wire win at the ShopRite LPGA Classic; successfully defended her title at the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic, where she won an LPGA record six-way playoff; won both the Samsung World Championship of Women's Golf and PageNet Championship, which was decided on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff with Laura Davies and Karrie Webb.
In 2000, best finish was third place at the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic; also T-3rd at the McDonald's LPGA Championship.
In 2001, won five tournaments: YourLife Vitamins LPGA Classic; Longs Drugs Challenge; Jamie Farr Kroger Classic for the third time in four years; Weetabix Women's British Open, her third major championship title; and AFLAC Champions; crossed the $3 million mark in career earnings after the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic and the $4 million mark after her runner-up finish at the CISCO World Ladies Match Play Championship.
In 2002, won five tournaments: The Office Depot Championship; McDonald's LPGA Championship; First Union Betsy King Classic, where she crossed the $5 million mark in career earnings; Mobile LPGA Tournament of Champions Presented by Ultimate Software, where she successfully defended her title; and the inaugural Sports Today CJ Nine Bridges Classic in her homeland of Korea; her win at the McDonald's LPGA Championship Presented by AIG was her fourth major championship victory, making her the youngest player to win four majors at 24 years, 8 months and 11 days old.
In 2003, won the Safeway PING, Chick-fil-A Charity Championship, where she defeated Shani Waugh on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff, and the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic, her fourth win in six years at the event; became the first Asian player to win the Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average after finishing the season with a 70.03 mark; with her win at the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship, became the third-youngest player in LPGA history to reach 20 wins at 25 years, 6 months and 30 days old; crossed the $6 million mark in career earnings after The Office Depot Championship and the $7 million mark after the Safeway Classic Presented by Pepsi; made the cut and finished 10th at the SBS Super Tournament on the men's Korean Tour, becoming the first woman to make the 36-hole cut in a men's event since Babe Zaharias did so in three PGA Tour events in 1945.
In 2004, earned the required number of points to qualify for the LPGA Tour and World Golf Halls of Fame with her victory at the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill; leaving the 10-year LPGA membership requirement as the only criterion before officially gaining entrance (2007); posted five top-10 finishes, including a T-2nd at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic; crossed the $8 million mark in career earnings at the CJ Nine Bridges Classic.
In 2005, best finish was a T-27th at the Kraft Nabisco Championship; was limited to only 12 events because of injuries to her neck, shoulder, lower back and finger; did not compete for the remainder of the season after a finger injury forced her to withdraw from the first round of the Weetabix Women's British Open.
In 2006, won her 23rd career tournament and fifth career LPGA major after a one-hole, sudden-death playoff with Karrie Webb at the McDonald's LPGA Championship; recorded seven additional top-10 finishes; received the Heather Farr Player Award.
In 2007, officially qualified for the LPGA Tour and World Golf Hall of Fame on June 7 after completing the first round of the McDonald's LPGA Championship, giving her 10 years of membership on the LPGA Tour; she was the 24th member and first South Korean to be inducted; recorded her 24th LPGA career victory at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger, becoming the third player in LPGA Tour history (Annika Sorenstam and Mickey Wright) to win the same event five times; recorded seven additional top-10 finishes; crossed the $9 million mark in career earnings with a T-10th at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.
In 2008, recorded a season-best runner-up finish at the CN Canadian Women's Open, where she carded her first LPGA career hole-in-one during the third round and crossed the $10 million mark in career earnings; recorded two additional top-10 finishes with a T-9th at the Ginn Tribute, where she carded a season-low 67 in the second round; tied for 10th at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.
In 2009, best finish was runner-up at the LPGA State Farm Classic, where she carded a season-low 66 in the first and final rounds; also carded 66 in the second round of the LPGA Corning Classic and the final round of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic; T-7th at the Hana Bank - Kolon Championship.
In 2010, won her 25th LPGA title at the Bell Micro LPGA Classic; T-5th at the Navistar LPGA Classic; T-8th at the CN Canadian Women's Open.
In 2011, finished fourth at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia; T-5th at the LPGA State Farm Classic; T-10th at the Kraft Nabisco Championship; T-14th at the Ricoh Women's British Open.
In 2012 played in 12 events, making nine cuts and earning $430,338 (33rd on the money list). She had five top-10 finishes, including a season-best fourth-place finish at the HanaBank Championship.
During the 2013 season, played in 18 events and made the cut 15 times, finishing 34rd on the Tour money list. Recorded three top-10 finishes including a season-best T-4th at The Evian Championship. Crossed the $12 million mark in career earnings at that event and entered the 2014 season ranked sixth all-time in career earnings.
In 2014, played in 16 events with three top-10 finishes and ranked 59th on the money list. Best showing was a T-4th at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.
In 2015, she made three cuts in eight events and finished 122nd on the money list as she was hampered by a sore back and didn't play after mid-June. She did finish T-10th at the Kia Classic.
2016 Notes: She said she would retire at the end of the 2016 season. Returned to action in March after a nine-month absence. Best finish is T-27th at the LPGA Volvik Championship.
In 1998, awarded the Order of Merit by the South Korean government, the highest honor given to an athlete. Named the 1998 Golf Writers Association of America Player of the Year. Became the youngest member to be inducted into the LPGA Tour and World Golf Halls of Fame on Nov. 12, 2007 at the age of 30 years, 1 month, 15 days. Won 30 tournaments in Korea as an amateur. Was also a track star in high school. When she's not playing golf Se Ri likes to spend time with her friends and play video games. Says that if she wasn't a golfer, she'd like to own and run her own business. Has 25 career victories on the LPGA Tour.