The 17-year-old, Las Vegas resident will turn professional prior to the 54-Hole, $1.1 Million Tournament, April 10-15 at Las Vegas Country Club
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Amateur In-Bee Park has established an impressive resume in her junior golf career, remarkable enough to turn professional at 17 years old. Park is playing in the LPGA Takefuji Classic, April 10-15 at Las Vegas Country Club, on her third sponsor’s exemption, but this year the tournament will act as her LPGA professional debut. She will play in one Futures Tour event as a professional prior to the tournament.
"This tournament has been a very special tournament to me, since this was my first LPGA event to play in, and also because this will be my LPGA professional debut" said Park, who won the 2005 NIAA 4A Nevada State Girls Championship while at Bishop Gorman High School. "It is good to play in my hometown with families and friends watching. I would love to make another great memory in the tournament this year."
In the 2005 LPGA Takefuji Classic, Park shot 66-71-67—204 to finish fifth. In the 2004 Classic, as a 15 year old, she shot 71-72-71—214 to tie for eighth.
Park was named the 2002 AJGA Player of the Year- the youngest player ever given this title at age 14. Also that year, she was the No. 1-ranked player on the Golfweek/Titleist Junior Rankings. She was ranked second in 2003, but returned to No. 1 in 2004. Park was named a First-Team Rolex Junior All-American in 2002-04. In 2005, she won the U.S. Junior Girls Championship.
Park has played two additional LPGA tournaments: the 2005 BMO Financial Group Canadian Women’s Open and the 2004 U.S. Women’s Open.
Defending champion Wendy Ward will lead the full-field 2006 Takefuji Classic, which boasts a purse of $1.1 million and $165,000 to the champion. Unlike all LPGA events, tournament play at the Classic takes place Thursday-Saturday (April 13-15). In 2005, Ward (65-68-67—200) notched 18 birdies against only two bogeys, finishing at 16-under-par to earn her fourth-career win and first title since August 2001, snapping an 80-tournament winless streak.
Past Takefuji Classic champions include Ward (2005); Cristie Kerr (2004); Candie Kung (2003); Annika Sorenstam (2002); Lorie Kane (2001) and Karrie Webb (2000).
Takefuji Classic tickets are $10 for the practice rounds and the Pro-Am, and $15 for Takefuji Classic tournament play (Monday admission is free). A weekly ground pass, good for admission to grounds throughout tournament week, is $30. A weekly clubhouse pass, good for admission to the grounds and the clubhouse during tournament week, is $50.
For more information about tickets, pro-am spots and sponsorship opportunities, please call the Tournament Office at (702) 898-4653. For additional information about the LPGA Takefuji Classic, the official tournament pro-am, ticket forms, volunteer applications and other details, please visit our website at www.lpgatakefujiclassic.com.
The official tournament charity is the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The Komen Foundation is a global leader in the fight against breast cancer through its support of innovative research and community-based programs.
About Takefuji:
Takefuji is Japan’s leader in consumer finance. It was established in 1966. It has 14 consolidated subsidiaries, 1851 branches, more than 4,000 employees, and more than three million customers. Its name comes from the Samurai word for strength, devotion and propriety, and from Mt. Fuji, Japan’s highest and most elegant mountain, a symbol of Japan. Takefuji owns a golf course in Japan called Take 1 Country Club and a professional women’s volleyball team. It donated 50 million yen to the Sept. 11 Fund.
Contact:
Steve Brener/Dana von Louda/Damian Secore
Brener Zwikel & Associates, Inc.
818-344-6195, ext. 103/107/114
