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Se Ri Pak
Pak captured two majors as an LPGA rookie. Her dramatic U.S. Women’s Open victory inspired a wave of young South Korean golfers who would transform the tour.
Pak's 1998 U.S. Women's Open ended in a playoff after she hit a memorable recovery from the edge of a water hazard. The image reached viewers in South Korea and inspired girls who later became LPGA champions.
Her win mattered beyond the trophy. It showed young viewers in South Korea that a woman from their country could become a major champion abroad.