The Koreans are coming

Se Ri Pak is a role model for future Korean golfers

By BBC Sport Online's Elizabeth Hudson at Sunningdale

While the Americans, Australians and Europeans continue to make their mark on women's golf, Se Ri Pak's two-stroke victory at the British Open is likely to make the big guns sit up and notice.

Although Pak is a major force on the world scene, the emergence of her fellow Korean compatriot Mi Hyun Kim, who finished second at Sunningdale, will make just as many headlines as Pak's victory.

It is the first time women's golf has seen a Korean one-two at any Major.

The Asian country has seen a huge growth in the sport over the past few years and their players are continuing to raise their country's profile at the Women's British Open.

Se Ri Pak and her compatriots Mi Hyun Kim, Hee Wom Han, Lee Ji Hee, Gloria Park and Grace Park are all making their various impressions at Sunningdale.

The women's game in Korea is going from strength to strength, leaving the men standing.

Mi Hyun Kim: Making an impact his season

Se Ri Pak is the best known of their players.

She got the ball rolling, turning professional in 1996 and competing on the Korean LPGA Tour before joining the LPGA Tour two years later.

She captured the McDonald's LPGA Championship and the US Women's Open in her rookie season, one of only two players ever to do so.

This year, she has won three tournaments on the LPGA Tour and was second in the US Women's Open.

While a lot of players have started on the Asian Tour, it was a big decision for Se Ri Pak to join the American ranks.

But her success has meant that more young Korean players are following in her footsteps and playing on the LPGA Tour.

Mi Hyun Kim joined Pak on the tour in 1999 and was named Rookie of the Year.

So far this year, she has finished second three times, losing to Annika Sorenstam and Rosie Jones in tournament play-offs.

And there are plenty of others waiting in the wings for their big breakthrough.

As a nation, the relative newcomers are in danger of surpassing some of the more established golf powers in the women's game.

Maureen Madill, a member of the BBC's commentary team at Sunningdale, was the coach of the Great Britain and Ireland team which competed in the Espirito Santo Trophy, the Women's World Amateur Team Championships last year in Berlin.

They are very serious and their work ethic, not surprisingly, is strong

  British coach
Maureen Madill

The Koreans came second to France in the competition and their three-woman team were aged 15, 16 and 20.

Madill was impressed with the team and their all-round attitude.

"They were very controlled and focused, showed great maturity and were technically superb and incredibly fit," she said.

"I spoke to their coach during the event and he believed that the game of golf suited their national psyche."

However, despite the huge number of players coming through, Madill says they still maintain their individuality.

"Although they are all very powerful and outstanding technically, there is still room for idiosyncrasies in their game" she said. "They certainly aren't coming off a production line.

"Their course management is also superb as well as their thinking on the course. Their whole mentality is to win.

"They are very serious and their work ethic, not surprisingly, is strong. Nothing seems to faze them on the course."