Columbus, Ohio – Sterling Sports Management announced that 21 year old, Aree Song, the LPGA Tour’s original prodigy, who first played in the Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2000 as a 13 year old finishing tied for 10th, will miss the tournament for the 1st time in 9 years due to illness and will play a very limited schedule in 2008 as she tries to focus on her health.
In late 2007, she was diagnosed with severe Irritable Bowel Syndrome (“IBS”) and adrenal insufficiency. While enduring test after test to determine what was causing severe symptoms, Aree continued to play despite barely having sufficient energy to complete her rounds during the second half of the 2007 LPGA Tour schedule.
Aree’s doctors have advised her to rest and to take a prolonged break from the rigors of active competition and extended travel, while they monitor the effectiveness of several treatment options.
As she begins to regain her strength, she will consider playing in some LPGA Tour events later this year.
Aree Song said, “Missing the Kraft Nabisco Championship this year is difficult for me. I can’t believe that at 21 years old, I’ve already played in 8 Championships. I have so many great memories here, from playing in the last group in the final round with Karrie Webb and Dottie Pepper as a 13 year old, to making eagle on 18 in 2004 to nearly win a major in my rookie year. The organizers, sponsors and fans at the Kraft have been so good to me and I truly hope that I can recover from this and return there next year.”
Aree’s agent, J.S. Kang of Sterling Sports Management, stated, “Watching Aree go through this has made us admire her that much more. She stays so positive even though we know that inside she is incredibly frustrated that her body won’t let her play the game she loves. It doesn’t seem right that someone who does all the right things – eats right, exercises diligently and practices hard – and lives her life in such an exemplary way, should have to go through this.”
About Aree Song
Aree Song was the youngest US Girls Junior Champion in USGA history in 1999. The next year, at the age of 13, she finished tied for 10th at the LPGA’s first major, the Nabisco Championship and at 14, became the youngest person ever to reach the semi-finals of the US Women’s Amateur Championship. In 2000, Aree Song was named by Golf Digest, GolfWeek and the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) as the Junior Player of the Year. In 2001, Aree won the Nancy Lopez Award presented to the most outstanding female amateur golfer in the world, even though she was only 14. She followed that by being named by GolfWeek as the Female Amateur of the Year in 2002. In 2003, Aree finished 5th at the US Women’s Open and was paired with Annika Sorenstam on the last day. In 2004, Aree turned pro after receiving an age exemption to allow her to play on the LPGA tour at age 17, where she nearly took the season’s first major by finishing second at the Kraft Nabisco by making eagle on the final hole. Aree finished her rookie year at 28th on the ADT Money List and as runner up for Rookie of the Year honors. In 3 years as an LPGA Tour member, she has accumulated earnings in excess of $1 million.
The Songs may well be the most accomplished siblings in golf. Together with her identical twin sister, Naree, the Song sisters won 23 national junior tournaments as juniors. Their older brother, Chan Song, is a graduate of Georgia Tech’s golf program and finished his collegiate career as the #14 ranked player in the NCAA. Chan currently plays on the Asian Tour.
About Sterling Sports Management
Sterling Sports Management is a leading full-service sports management company based in Columbus, Ohio that represents professional golfers on the LPGA and PGA Tour’s including many of the world’s biggest stars. Sterling’s LPGA golf clients come from 7 countries and 4 continents and have won more than 50 professional golf tournaments. Sterling Sports represents its athlete clients in contract negotiations, endorsement agreements, media arrangements, marketing, celebrity appearances, public relations, and tax planning. Sterling also represents corporations through its Sports Marketing Consultancy practice which assists corporations get the most out of their investment in sports marketing, and facilitates the opening of overseas markets for both its athlete and corporate clients.
Contact:
J.S. Kang
Vice-President
Sterling Sports Management
404.518.2002
jkang@sterlingsm.com
