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At British Open, Park Is Seeking a Grand Slam ... Maybe Grand Slam ... Maybe: Park Seeks Win at British Open
(35 minutes later)
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Grand slams are generally seen as quartets: a four-run homer in baseball; four major victories in the same calendar year in tennis and golf; four items from a list of choices in a Denny’s Grand Slam breakfast.ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Grand slams are generally seen as quartets: a four-run homer in baseball; four major victories in the same calendar year in tennis and golf; four items from a list of choices in a Denny’s Grand Slam breakfast.
With the Women’s British Open starting Thursday, Inbee Park of South Korea will try to add a fourth major victory to the three she has this year. No professional golfer, male or female, has accomplished that in the same calendar year. With the Women’s British Open starting Thursday, Inbee Park of South Korea will try to add another major victory to the three she has this year. No professional golfer, male or female, has accomplished that in the same calendar year.
But if she wins, should she be celebrated for completing golf’s Grand Slam?But if she wins, should she be celebrated for completing golf’s Grand Slam?
What constitutes a Grand Slam in women’s golf is unclear at the moment. The L.P.G.A. announced two years ago that the September event in Évian-les-Bains, France, would be elevated from a regular tour stop to become the fifth major beginning in 2013. At the time, the organization’s commissioner, Michael Whan, said the motivation was to give the women’s game added exposure.What constitutes a Grand Slam in women’s golf is unclear at the moment. The L.P.G.A. announced two years ago that the September event in Évian-les-Bains, France, would be elevated from a regular tour stop to become the fifth major beginning in 2013. At the time, the organization’s commissioner, Michael Whan, said the motivation was to give the women’s game added exposure.
Instead, it has put a wrinkle in an otherwise potential historic moment for the sport. Instead, it has put a wrinkle in an otherwise potentially historic moment for the sport.
In the lead-up to the British Open here at the fabled Old Course, more people were debating what to label a Park victory than savoring the details of Park’s season for the ages: her putting prowess, her poise under pressure, her fiancé, who has paused his professional golf career to support hers. In the lead-up to the British Open here at the fabled Old Course, more people were debating what to label a Park victory than savoring the details of Park’s season for the ages: her putting prowess; her poise under pressure; her fiancé, who has paused his professional golf career to support hers.
“I find it strange that we are struggling not to call this a Grand Slam if Inbee Park wins this week,” Whan said. “If a player had won all four global majors in 2011, we would have declared her the Grand Slam winner and she would be posing with all four trophies. If Inbee wins four majors this season, why wouldn’t we call it the same thing?”“I find it strange that we are struggling not to call this a Grand Slam if Inbee Park wins this week,” Whan said. “If a player had won all four global majors in 2011, we would have declared her the Grand Slam winner and she would be posing with all four trophies. If Inbee wins four majors this season, why wouldn’t we call it the same thing?”
If Park wins this week, Whan said, it would be “one of the greatest accomplishments in modern sports.” She then would proceed to France, he said, with a “Super Slam” in play, making the Evian Championship sound like an extra class and Park a conscientious go-getter aiming for Advanced Placement honors in golf. If Park wins this week, Whan said, it will be “one of the greatest accomplishments in modern sports.” She then would proceed to France, he said, with a “Super Slam” in play, making the Evian Championship sound like an extra class and Park a conscientious go-getter aiming for Advanced Placement honors in golf.
The Merriam-Webster definition of grand slam is “a clean sweep or total success.” In sports, the term originated in card games like bridge, in which, since the 19th century, a grand slam has meant taking all 13 tricks. According to the Dickson Baseball Dictionary, grand slam was first used to describe a home run with the bases loaded in 1929. The term gained popularity in golf and tennis during the 1930s, when the American golfer Bobby Jones won the United States Open, the British Open, the United States Amateur and the British Amateur in 1930, and the American tennis star Don Budge won the Australian championship, the French championship, the United States championship and Wimbledon in 1938.The Merriam-Webster definition of grand slam is “a clean sweep or total success.” In sports, the term originated in card games like bridge, in which, since the 19th century, a grand slam has meant taking all 13 tricks. According to the Dickson Baseball Dictionary, grand slam was first used to describe a home run with the bases loaded in 1929. The term gained popularity in golf and tennis during the 1930s, when the American golfer Bobby Jones won the United States Open, the British Open, the United States Amateur and the British Amateur in 1930, and the American tennis star Don Budge won the Australian championship, the French championship, the United States championship and Wimbledon in 1938.
Rugby union might provide the most relevant example. A Grand Slam used to be four victories: when a team in the Five Nations Championship defeated the other four teams during the annual competition. When the event became the Six Nations Championship in 2000, a Grand Slam became five victories.Rugby union might provide the most relevant example. A Grand Slam used to be four victories: when a team in the Five Nations Championship defeated the other four teams during the annual competition. When the event became the Six Nations Championship in 2000, a Grand Slam became five victories.
Park, 25, is carving out a new frontier in golf, attempting to go where Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Annika Sorenstam never trod. With her victories at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the L.P.G.A. Championship and the United States Women’s Open, Park became the first player on the L.P.G.A. Tour since Babe Zaharias in 1950 to win the first three majors of the year.Park, 25, is carving out a new frontier in golf, attempting to go where Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Annika Sorenstam never trod. With her victories at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the L.P.G.A. Championship and the United States Women’s Open, Park became the first player on the L.P.G.A. Tour since Babe Zaharias in 1950 to win the first three majors of the year.
A Park victory Sunday would be the most attention-grabbing moment in women’s golf since Sorenstam tested her game against the men at the Colonial tournament in 2003. But as so often happens with the women’s game, the focus is not where it ought to be.A Park victory Sunday would be the most attention-grabbing moment in women’s golf since Sorenstam tested her game against the men at the Colonial tournament in 2003. But as so often happens with the women’s game, the focus is not where it ought to be.
The only clear picture that has emerged is of the tour falling on its own publicity petard. With no clear finish line, how are fans and observers supposed to know when it is time to cheer Park home? Is the modern pentathlon competitor awarded the Olympic gold medal before the results of her target shooting are known? With no clear finish line, how are fans and observers supposed to know when it is time to cheer Park home? Is the modern pentathlon competitor awarded the Olympic gold medal before the results of her target shooting are known?
“Whenever you win four majors in a row, I think it doesn’t really matter what you call it; it’s impressive,” said the American golfer Paula Creamer, who did not see the addition of a fifth major this year as bad timing for Park or the tour.“Whenever you win four majors in a row, I think it doesn’t really matter what you call it; it’s impressive,” said the American golfer Paula Creamer, who did not see the addition of a fifth major this year as bad timing for Park or the tour.
“Who is going to say that Inbee was going to win or somebody was going to win three majors in a row?” Creamer said. “You can never predict that.”“Who is going to say that Inbee was going to win or somebody was going to win three majors in a row?” Creamer said. “You can never predict that.”
In an interview in 2011 with Golf World, Whan acknowledged that he was not always an advocate of adding a fifth major.In an interview in 2011 with Golf World, Whan acknowledged that he was not always an advocate of adding a fifth major.
“If you had asked me before I was commissioner if I thought five majors was a good idea, I would have said no,” he said.“If you had asked me before I was commissioner if I thought five majors was a good idea, I would have said no,” he said.
He warmed to the idea when he thought of the spotlight that would shine on the women for one extra week every year. Never mind that the Evian Championship will take place against the second week of the N.F.L. season, the third week of the college football season, the baseball pennant races and the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs. He warmed to the idea when he thought of the spotlight that would shine on the women for one extra week every year. Never mind that the Evian Championship will take place during the second week of the N.F.L. season, the third week of the college football season, the baseball pennant races and the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs.
The women’s majors have always been fluid in name and number. As recently as 1978, only two events were considered majors. At one time or another, the Western Open, the Titleholders and the duMaurier Classic were designated as major championships. The Women’s British Open was not labeled a major until 2001.The women’s majors have always been fluid in name and number. As recently as 1978, only two events were considered majors. At one time or another, the Western Open, the Titleholders and the duMaurier Classic were designated as major championships. The Women’s British Open was not labeled a major until 2001.
In men’s golf, the tournaments forming the Grand Slam — the Masters, the United States Open, the British Open and the P.G.A. Championship — have been together on the tour schedule since 1934. The only change in the last 50 years has been that the top Americans, following Palmer’s lead, have incorporated the British Open into their plans.In men’s golf, the tournaments forming the Grand Slam — the Masters, the United States Open, the British Open and the P.G.A. Championship — have been together on the tour schedule since 1934. The only change in the last 50 years has been that the top Americans, following Palmer’s lead, have incorporated the British Open into their plans.
Leave it to Park to see through the noise. Grand Slam, Inbee Slam or Super Slam, Park is not getting stuck on semantics.Leave it to Park to see through the noise. Grand Slam, Inbee Slam or Super Slam, Park is not getting stuck on semantics.
“I don’t try to put so much pressure on myself to win this week,” she said, adding, “Just the fact that I could have this kind of opportunity is very special.”“I don’t try to put so much pressure on myself to win this week,” she said, adding, “Just the fact that I could have this kind of opportunity is very special.”