Park’s place: Shooting for third LPGA major in row
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— and I’ve been there a lot — it’s just knowing what I have to do. I think that’s been a big help for me.”
A bigger help is how she’s playing.
“This is the best I’m playing in my career so far,” Park said. “I’m trying to keep this going.”
Park is coming off a year in which she won the money title, and she is happy to see her game get even better. She replaced Stacy Lewis at No. 1 in the world about two months ago, and there has been nothing to suggest she is ready to give it back.
What might help her in this case is her lack of experience compared to the other players going for three in a row.
Bradley was 35 and Sorenstam was 34 when she went to the U.S. Women’s Open trying for three straight majors. Sorenstam seemed to be fully equipped for the moment. She had played on the PGA Tour at Colonial only two years earlier. She stated her goal at the start of the year was to win the Grand Slam.
Park is still young enough to see only the next shot instead of wondering where it might lead.
“I’ve watched her a lot on TV, and she’s very calm. She does not get rattled,” Bradley said. “That’s the key, to keep your mind calm and just get out of your own way. ... Don’t look at the signage that says, ‘U.S. Open.’ Just look at the hole. Just do your thing.”
Bradley believes it will happen. She sees a player dominating the game, at least in the first part of the season. She sees a simple, repeatable swing. She sees a calm hand over the big putts. She sees no reason why another LPGA major will end on Sunday with someone other than Park holding the trophy.
Then again, she has seen this before.
“But I thought Annika was going to do it a few years ago,” Bradley said, “and that didn’t quite happen.”