World travels prove fruitful for Park

Through the first six months of this year, Inbee Park has been replicating that old line from ABC’s "Wide World of Sports."

The former Bishop Gorman High School standout has literally been spanning the globe.

And the travel has suited her well.

Her stops on the United States’ LPGA Tour have been fruitful, to say the least. Over the last weekend of March, she fired a final-round 65 at the Kia Classic at La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif., posting a 7-under 212 total to take second place and pocketing $157,384 for her efforts.

Park, who had her big breakthrough when she claimed the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open as a 20-year-old, headed overseas following the Kia tournament, spending several weeks in her home country of South Korea. She played a handful of Japanese LPGA Tour events in that stretch, claiming one victory and a trio of runner-up finishes.

"I don’t mind playing over here," she said in a phone interview in late April. "I’m really close to my home, and I get to go back home every Sunday after the tournament. And I came over here with a lot of confidence for the Japanese tournaments."

The lone issue: a bit of a language barrier.

"It’s a little bit different than in America, because I don’t speak Japanese," said the worldly Park, who turns 22 on July 12.

She bounced back to the U.S. in early May and promptly tied for 16th in the Bell Micro LPGA Classic. A week later, playing in the exclusive 32-player field for the Sybase Match Play Championship in Gladstone, N.J., she tied for ninth.

That was followed by a tie for 23rd at the LPGA State Farm Rail Classic in Springfield, Ill. Then it was back to New Jersey this past weekend for the Shoprite LPGA Classic, where Park posted sterling rounds of 66-68-67 en route to a 12-under 201 total and a third-place finish worth $99,090.

It’s been a nice turnaround for Park after a difficult 2009.

"It feels very good," she said. "I didn’t win last year and had a tough time with a back injury, so I was really disappointed. I did a lot of mental and physical training (in the offseason), and this season has been a lot better.

"My conditioning is very good right now. If I keep that up, I’ll keep playing well and get more confidence."

She’s already noticed a big difference in her length on the course.

"I’m hitting the ball much better. I’m hitting it a lot farther with my irons, probably 15 yards, and I’ve gotten a lot better with my driver this year, too," Park said. "So the courses are playing a lot shorter for me. I changed to Callaway irons this year, and I think I have the right club in my hands now."

She credited her third-place finish in the Shoprite event to another Callaway shift.

"This week, I changed to Callaway wedges, and they worked really good for me. And my putter was really good, too," she said in a phone interview Sunday, after finishing four shots behind winner Ai Miyazato.

As much as she enjoyed her time in South Korea, Park said the return to the States has also been a boost over the past month or so.

"I miss the players on the LPGA Tour, and I really miss the weather, the sunshine," said Park, noting it rained through much of her time in the Far East. "I like it here in the U.S. A lot of my friends are here, and I have a lot of friends on the tour."

Her game is rounding into shape just in time for a couple of major events: this weekend’s LPGA Championship in Pittsford, N.Y., and the U.S. Women’s Open from July 8-11 at Oakmont, Pa.

Park currently stands ninth on the 2010 LPGA Tour money list, at $356,147, and that doesn’t even count her substantial winnings on the Japanese LPGA Tour. She’s also jumped to 15th in the world rankings.

Both those statistics would be bolstered if Park could add another big title to her 2008 U.S. Women’s Open crown.

"Winning a major is a big goal of mine for this year," she said. "I concentrate on every tournament, but especially on the majors this year. I like the challenge of the major tournaments. I think that makes me play better."

Regardless, Park said she just wants to keep making an impact on the LPGA Tour, be it in majors or the standard-issue tournaments.

"As time goes on, I’m getting more and more confident," she said. "Hopefully, I’ll get another win on the U.S. tour this year — or maybe even a couple wins. That would be good."