Playoff at the Women's Open: Golf Digest Woman: Golf Digest

Playoff at the Women's Open

Monday, July 11, 2011 Comments

COLORADO SPRINGS, Co. -- Chances are, you have never heard of So Yeon Ryu and Hee Kyung Seo. That will change today, as the two will soon go head to head in a three-hole playoff that will decide the champion of the U.S. Women's Open. And so it goes, the championship that seemingly never ends has not yet ended. Oh, joy!

(Editor's note: Here's a tip that will help you pronounce the contender's names: Ryu sounds like "Row," and Seo sounds like "So.")

Seo, also know as the "Supermodel of the Fairways," turned 25 years old last Friday. She won the 2010 Kia Classic to earn category 7 status on the LPGA Tour, and her best finish at a major is a T5 at the 2010 Ricoh Women's British Open.

(Related: Read about Seo's win at the Kia Classic.)

Ryu tees off on the 15th hole. (Photo by Getty Images)

Ryu, who doesn't have status on the LPGA Tour, grabbed a spot in this year's Open by way of a top-five finish on the 2010 Korea LPGA Tour money list (fourth). Her best showing at an LPGA Tour event was a T12 at the 2010 Hana Bank Kolon Championship, and her best finish at a major was a T25 at last year's Women's Open.

These two South Korean standouts will start their three-hole playoff on the par-3 16th hole at around 9:30 a.m. local time, and they're currently warming up on the driving range.

Golf World's Executive Editor, Ron Sirak, recently wrote about the void of South Korean winners on the LPGA Tour this year. That trend will certainly change later this morning.

--Ashley Mayo