The woman who launched South Korea's golf revolution — five major championships and a 1998 US Women's Open victory that inspired an entire nation to take up golf, creating the most successful national pipeline of women professional golfers in history.
Se Ri Pak was born in Daejeon, South Korea in 1977 and became the most significant figure in Korean women's golf history — her 1998 LPGA debut inspiring a generation of Korean girls to take up the sport that transformed global women's golf. She turned professional in 1998 and won 5 major championships: US Women's Open (1998), LPGA Championship (1998), ANA Inspiration (2001, 2002) and Women's British Open (2001). Her 1998 US Women's Open win at Blackwolf Run — in a playoff at age 20, after famously removing her shoes and socks to play from a water hazard in the 18th fairway during the playoff — produced one of the most iconic images in women's golf history. She was LPGA Rookie of the Year in 1998. She won 25 LPGA titles overall and spent 32 weeks as world number one. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2007. Her impact on Korean golf is incalculable — she is credited with inspiring the wave of Korean players who have dominated the LPGA Tour since 2005, with players like Inbee Park, So Yeon Ryu and many others citing her as her primary inspiration.
Pioneering Asian women's golf and her barefoot shot at 1998 US Women's Open
How They Played
Fearless competitor with exceptional short game and mental toughness
Lasting Impact
Inspired a generation of Asian golfers and helped globalize women's golf
US Women's Open 1998 (barefoot shot)
Career Honours
- US Women's Open 1998 (barefoot shot)
- LPGA Championship 1998
- ANA Inspiration 2001, 2002
- Women's British Open 2001
- LPGA Rookie of Year 1998
- World Golf Hall of Fame 2007
- Inspired generation of Korean golfers