Cheery Oh! Ji Young Takes the Sybase Classic

Under the radar, but ultra-impressive, Ji Young Oh won the Sybase Classic while others fell victim to the elements. Or to the malevolent golf demons that sometimes haunt the thoughts of even the best players.

The warmth and sunshine of the past couple of days were gone on Sunday, replaced by a leaden chill reminiscent of early March; it was cold, gray and blustery. And "blustery" was what got to Suzann Pettersen - who had been tied for the lead coming into the round - she cited the wind as having been an issue for her on 17. Her disappointment was palpable when she walked into the media center at the end of the day.

If you can stand the chill, this is probably the best kind of golf to watch. There's an element of drama in such a day that's missing when the weather isn't a factor. The thing that really mesmerized me... watching just a couple of yards from the green... was the way Ji Young handled her putter. I felt like I could feel her feeling some of her longer putts. (Three uses of the verb "to feel" in one sentence = excessive. But you know what I mean.)


















At the press conference, when Ji Young Oh was asked about her golf inspiration, she spoke of Se Ri Pak, the US Open winner who was one of her country's first golf champions, and who has inspired so many Korean girls to dedicate themselves to the game.

I'll have more from the Sybase Classic later today. And I'm already looking forward to my next LPGA event.