Just 18 holes stood between Inbee Park and the fourth leg of the career Grand Slam.
Having already captured the ANA Inspiration, U.S. Women’s Open and KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Park entered the final round of the 2014 RICOH Women’s British Open with a one-stroke lead and looked to have a lock on what would be one of the two remaining majors she needed to achieve what only six other women in the history of the game have accomplished.
But the moment meant too much to Park.
She carded a final round 77 that included six bogeys and a double, falling into a fourth place finish and two strokes behind winner Mo Martin.
“It’s probably like the most disappointing tournament I had probably in all my career,” said Park. “I thought last year I came really close to winning it. And it was probably the closest one in my British Women’s Open career.”
It’s the one major championship that Park has wanted to win for years and has notched four other top-11 finishes at the event. Despite the close calls, the world No.1 loves the challenge that comes with playing the links style course and feels she has put in the work she needs to finally reach her goal this week with a win at Turnberry.
“I love playing the links golf courses,” Park said. “It’s very unique. I really love to play different style of golf courses and deal with winds and the weather and the different type of golf course bunkers. I think it’s just a lot of challenge but at the same time I think it’s a lot of fun.”
For the first time since her remarkable 2013 season, Park arrives at this week’s Women’s British Open having already won multiple times with three victories in the first half of this season, including her third consecutive KPMG Women’s PGA Championship as well as a tie for third at the U.S. Women’s Open.
“I actually do like having the major tournaments kind of next to each other. Because I only played major tournaments two weeks ago and I’m going to play another one after two weeks, so I think it’s good for the rhythm.”
The South Korean will try to keep that rhythm going this week at Turnberry, on a track she hasn’t played prior to this week. She will once again try to position herself to make history with a win, which would leave the Evian Championship in September as the final piece of hardware Park needs to achieve the Super Career Grand Slam.
“I feel like I’ve done my homework,” said Park. “The British Open is obviously really big for me and that’s something that I will probably want the most of the season. I said I want to win the British Open since the start of the year. So I really worked hard for it and I’m really looking forward to it.”
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