LPGA golfer Christina Kim showed up on The Golf Channel’s the Golf Fix with Michael Breed last week to share a few of her swing tips.  She’s gearing up for the new golf season and it starts this week in Thailand as the LPGA kicks off its 2010 season.  Before Christina hit a golf ball in Thailand, she IM’d an interview with Golf.com to talk about the off season and the future.

What have you been up to in the offseason?
Everything from working hard on my short game, trying new clubs, partying with friends, traveling to places, and playing around with social media.

You partied a lot. Clubs? House parties?
I didn’t go mad crazy partying all the time. Hahaha!!! Clubs, house parties, a lot of just chillin’ at friends’ places — that’s more accurate.

Let’s talk about the LPGA Tour. What do you see happening this year out there for yourself and the tour?
I see both myself and the LPGA Tour taking over by storm. I’m so stoked for the new season. The LPGA is rising again after a brief lull, and the world is ready for something new to stumble upon.

For the full interview, go to golf.com.

It’s been a long time coming for Michelle Wie but she finally did it.  She won for the first time in a professional tournament.  Michelle Wie competed at the LPGA’s Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Guadalajara, Mexico and she walked away with the trophy with a two stroke victory.  She finished off in style with a birdie on her final hole.  The question is will this win propel her to new heights?  She had been criticized by many for competing in men’s tournaments and for not doing enough on the women’s tour.  Well, she’s got her first win and perhaps this will lift a weight off of Michelle’s shoulders.

Having spent her teens bouncing between tours and continents, Wie, 20, had finally found some stability this season as a full-fledged LPGA rookie. Even before her victory at the penultimate tournament of the year it had been a successful campaign defined by solid results, new friendships and a starring role at the Solheim Cup, during which Wie was overcome by a fist-pumping passion that was utterly foreign for a player who has always worn an icy gameface. The only thing missing was an individual victory, a familiar story for a player, who until Sunday had not won a tournament of any kind since the 2003 U.S. Publinks Amatuer, when she was a 13 year-old with a impossibly perfect swing and endless future. Back then no one could have imaged another victory would be such a long time coming. But Wie used the many blown chances and missed opportunities as a journey of self-discovery, and along the way the giggly, goofy tween phenom grew into a self-possessed young woman.

Susan Choi was first seen on The Golf Channel’s “Big Break Ka’anapali,” and since then she’s been pursuing the unexpected dream of playing golf on the LPGA Tour.   Now a Korean woman playing golf is nothing out of the ordinary because there are many of them playing on the LPGA tour, but what we found unique about Susan Choi was that her journey was a somewhat circuitous route to golf.   If you follow ladies golf, you’ll know that many of the Korean women out there pounded their way to the tour through practice, practice and more practice.  Susan on the other hand found herself at Wellesley, studying hard and playing college golf at the all-women’s college.   Wellesley is not known for producing professional golfers, but rather doctors, lawyers, politicians (Hillary Clinton is a graduate) and educated leaders of tomorrow.   When Susan played her Freshman year at Wellesley, she was having fun and scoring in the 90s.   However, in a couple of years, her game progressed quickly to shooting in the 70s.  You would be hard pressed to find a guy who could improve his scores from the 90s to the 70s in such short a time.

This week is the qualifying tournament for the Duramed Futures Tour, the developmental golf tour for the ladies.  Susan is playing in the tournament down in Florida with the hopes of getting status on the tour. We chatted with Susan earlier this fall and what we found was someone who isn’t shy like her Korean golfing counterparts, but someone who is really driven and happy to have found herself playing a sport she really loves.  She also gives back and everyone loves this gal!  It’s hard not to root for Susan Choi.

When did you start playing golf?
When I was younger my dad would take me to the driving range.  He would try to bribe me and say he’d buy me McDonald’s if I would go to the range with him.  So my dad bribed me with food.   My parents really wanted me to get some exercise and go to the range.

I went to the Spring Rock Golf center in New Hyde Park; it has two levels.  I went there real late at night after dinner.  We would play Bethpage at Twilight for 9 holes.

My sister played for fun.  I honestly think she could have been a real good player.  We were really into music and she took that route.  We were both into music and golf.   I think music helped my golf.  In a way I’m glad that I took up golf because it kept me focused during high school.  I had a lot of fun practicing with my dad and challenging myself.

So you played golf at Wellesley?
I played golf all 4 years.

When did you think you could become good at golf?
I probably realized it by my junior year – probably end of sophomore year. This is so much fun and I’d rather be out here than in lab. My coach guided me my junior year and I told him that I wanted to go on tour.   He gave me an honest talk about how hard it would be.   I improved so much from first year to my junior year.   If you look at my scoring average, I improved dramatically each year: 90s to 80s to 70s.  I just remember having so much fun and also improving so much and believing that I could do this.

I told him that I wouldn’t miss practice and I’d put in extra practice. During senior year I really showed a lot by knocking down my scoring average to 75, compared to 90 something my freshman year. I won 8 tournaments in a row my senior year.

What was the key to improving?
Having a plan: practice with a purpose. I needed a little guidance with course management: knowing what kind of shot I was going to hit. I made it a more perfect practice. I always had fun practicing because I made it a game. I became focused with practice: working on my weaknesses and turning them into strengths.

I actually turned professional in 2008 because of the show I was on: The Big Break. I was actually going to stay amateur one more year. I haven’t had that much experience in tournament golf.   The only way to get better is to play tournaments.   It is very different because it’s a different setting, atmosphere, player, and the pressure. You learn a lot from these players.  It’s at first intimidating but I learned a lot by watching other people during my first year. I also played on the Canadian tour and other mini-tours.

What was most surprising when you started playing professionally?
How expensive everything was. I don’t come from a lot of money.   I would stay at the most ghetto motels and it was kind of scary.  Knowing how to travel and knowing your stuff like setting up practice rounds, renting car, hotels, etc — it can be hectic and chaotic.   That was one of my goals – to be very organized.

When you first arrived on the Duramed Futures Tour, what were the players like?
Everyone is nice to each other. I noticed there are lot of cliques out there. There are many Division I players out there and I came from a Division III school.  These girls are very focused on getting to the tour.  You sense that competitiveness they got from Division I schools.   They’re all super sweet but they’re very competitive and really good.

I feel like I have the skills but I need the experience. If I continue to workout hard and keep practicing, I’ll develop faster. If you have a good support team, it helps out a lot.  My coach has been so good to me.   He really believes in me. He’ll get mad if I don’t do a workout.  He doesn’t get mad at a bad score.

What motivates you?
I’m very family oriented and my family motivates me. I keep pictures of them.  I see them when I first wake up and therefore I get up quicker.

Does it get lonely out there?
Honestly, it does. You just keep focused and you keep yourself busy.
It’s hard to have balance. It’s tiring after the end of a round, and sometimes you can’t go out because you have to get up early for a round. I do feel very blessed!

What do you do for fun?
I do a lot.  This past year, I needed something to rejuvenate me so I did a bunch of charity stuff and corporate outings.   I’m one of the founders of the golfprogirls.com website. It’s a website with interviews of notable golf people and has other things like golf destinations and things about rules, etiquette and where to get the best gear.

So what is your goal now?
My main goal is to play tournament golf and make it on tour.

What do you need to do to make the LPGA Tour?
When I play at a course, I need to be good at course management. I need to make more birdies; what are the best spots for birdies. Everything is fine with the swing – just need to believe in yourself. It’s more attitude than skill.

I’ve been working on my attitude, even talking about it after a round.   If you talk to yourself in a positive way, it changes everything.

Last question and it’s off topic but what is your favorite Korean food?
I love kogi (Korean BBQ)!

You can find out more on Susan Choi at her website Susan Choi Golf.  Susan recently won the J&J New England Women’s Open Championship and placed second at the Sun Coast Series event.

Check out the videos from The Big Break below.

Golf season is unofficially over as in all the important tournaments are done but golf is still in the news.

Korean Amateur Golfer Qualifies for the Masters Tournament
Han Chang-Won of Korea earned a spot in the 2010 Masters Tournament with a victory in the inaugural Asian Amateur Championship in China.

“I knew I was leading by five or six after the first nine holes, but I was trying not to think about the result,” Han said. “Anything can happen in a round of golf and I was very nervous towards the end. I have to admit that it was the thought of playing in the Masters that made me nervous. I had never even thought it would be possible for me to be playing in the Masters as an amateur.”

Han Chang-Won becomes the second Korean amateur that will be playing at the 2010 Masters tournament because An Byeong-Hun also qualified by winning the U.S. Amateur Golf Championship. And oh yeah, Danny Lee of New Zealand was at this year’s Masters as the winner of the U.S. Amateur the previous year. What’s with all those young Korean golfers?

Anthony Kim Loses in the Finals of the World Match Play Championship
AK lost to Ross Fisher at the World Match Play Championship in Spain. He had dominated Robert Allenby the previous day to make the finals.  At least AK can say he’s getting closer.

Na Yeon Choi Goes to Korea and Wins The Hana Bank KOLON Championship
Ladies golf is still in play and the professionals traveled across the Pacific to South Korea. Na Yeon Choi made birdie at the last hole for a 5-under 67 on Sunday, giving her a one-shot victory over Maria Hjorth and Yani Tseng at the Hana Bank KOLON Championships.   Choi won the Samsung World Championships in September with an eagle at the par-5 last hole.

ESPN finally published their “Body Issue” which shows athletes in their birthday suits.  And yes there’s a Korean-American woman who bares it all.  She is LPGA golfer Christina Kim, and she’s joined by other fellow golfers Anna Grzebien and Sandra Gal.  The “Body Issue” is getting some great reviews because it’s done very artistically and it actually reveals not simply a nude body, but it shows some of the pain and hurt that these athletes have endured.  The body is a beautiful thing.   If you don’t know Christina Kim, she’s a Korean-American golfer who’s had great success on the LPGA tour.  She’s one of the more personable and animated golfers on tour, and she’s willing to share her thoughts.  She’s one of the most followed LPGA tour players on Twitter.  For a little more on Christina Kim, check out our interview below when we met up with her at a LPGA tour event earlier this summer.

After losing a seven-stroke lead Sunday, Na Yeon Choi rallied to shoot 1-under 71 Sunday to win the Samsung World Championship on the 18th hole.

“I can’t believe that I won,” Choi said. “Throughout the second half I thought I was going to lose it again.”

Choi finished at 16-under 272 and held off runner-up Ai Miyazato of Japan, who shot a 69, the low round of the day at Torrey Pines.

Choi began the final round with a two-stroke lead, got birdies on two of her first four holes and made a 10-foot eagle putt on the sixth hole to extend her lead to seven strokes.

It looked then as if Choi, who has won four times on the Korean LPGA Tour, would cruise to her first LPGA Tour victory.

But Miyazato, playing in the group in front of Choi and Jiyai Shin of South Korea, made two quick birdies on Nos. 7 and 8 to cut Choi’s lead to five.

“I played really good,” Miyazato said. “I was very patient.”

Choi missed a 2-foot putt on the ninth hole for a bogey, cutting the lead to four heading into the back nine.

She continued to struggle with two consecutive bogeys, and Miyazato tied Choi at 16-under with a 4-foot birdie putt on No. 16. Miyazato took the lead shortly after, when Choi three-putted for bogey on No. 14.

Choi has been working with a sports psychologist on her mental game and was repeating some of the lessons she has recently learned.

“Mentally I felt I was very weak,” Choi said. “I kept telling myself to be positive. I wanted to be positive about everything.”

On the 18th hole, it was Miyazato’s turn to make a mistake. With 203 yards remaining for her second shot, Miyazato’s 5-wood approach hit the bank in front of the 18th green and rolled into the water. She dropped in front of the pond but could not get up and down for par.

“Mentally I felt I was very weak,” Choi said. “I kept telling myself to be positive. I wanted to be positive about everything.”

Choi’s second shot on the 18th reached the front left of the green and her third shot came to rest 5 feet below the pin. Choi, who had missed several putts of equal or less distance, converted the birdie for the victory – no easy task.

“I felt like I had just turned professional today,” Choi said when facing the putt for victory. “I was so nervous

Christine Song just turned 18 years old and she’s living her dream of being a professional golfer.  She just completed her first full season on the Duramed Futures Tour, the LPGA developmental league, finishing in the top ten of the money list.  As a result, her top ten finish makes her eligible for conditional status on the LPGA and allows her to compete with the big girls like Michelle Wie and Lorena Ochoa.  She’ll be heading to the final rounds of Q-School in December with the hopes of being able to compete full time on the LPGA.

So what’s it like being a teenager and already being a professional athlete?  When we chatted with Christine, we were surprised to find that after a long season running around the country from tournament to tournament, she really didn’t find it to be a job but a real joy of being able to play a sport she really loves.  Of course when competing at the professional level there’s a lot of self-induced pressure, but what she walks away from the Duramed Futures Tour is a whole lot of leanings and friendships that she’ll always have.

What’s it feel like to be 18 years old and competing at a high level against the ladies on the Duramed Futures Tour?
I was kind of scared at first because they were older and some of them looked scary. But after a few weeks, I became closer to the players. They’re all nice and of course not scary.

What did you enjoy most about this summer on the Duramed Futures Tour?
Just traveling and playing a lot of different courses. Meeting a lot of new people. Learning a lot on the tour.

What was your favorite course?
I guess I like the courses I played the best at like the Louisiana Pelican Classic (2nd place finish).

What do you think you learned while playing on the Duramed Futures Tour?
I learned a lot about myself in general and my game and where it’s at now. I learned to be patient and not to get to angry and to stay calm. Because it’s just one tournament. Even if I do bad there’s the next tournament where I can redeem myself and it’s not the end of the world.

What do you think is the strength of your game?
Either accuracy off the tee and probably chipping and putting. I’m still working on putting.

What do you think you need to work on?
Gain distance.

Do you think distance is important?
Yes. Well, I think everything is important. I think putting and being long are very important.

Was this your first year on the Durmed Futures Tour?
Yes

What did you enjoy about the Tour?
I liked the Tour and the people. It was a lot of hard work and tiring because of the travel.

Who do you look up to on the LPGA or the PGA tour?
Tiger Woods

Did you ever take a moment to think that you’re a professional athlete?
Well, more and more (girls) are turning pro at a younger age. I turned pro at 17 and a few of the other girls turned pro at 17. They were still in high school.

Why do you think Korean women are so successful in golf?
Practicing. Working out. Our parents push us in a good way, not in a bad way.

Do you enjoy playing golf?
Yes. It’s what I want to do.

How old were you when you first started?
9 years old

Did you have immediate success?
I started improving probably around 15 or 16 years old.

What advice would you give other girls?
Practice hard!

Are all the girls serious on tour?
They like to have fun. Some girls go out at night and some just practice a lot.

Any good places that you ate along the way?
We actually took food and usually we went to Korean markets. My dad would cook all the time.

What’s your favorite Korean food?
I like anything that’s Korean.

OK. What if you walked into a Korean restaurant today. What would you order off the menu?
Sam Gyup Sal (which is Korean Pork Belly BBQ).

Were your parents with you all the time on tour?
My dad was with me traveling all summer. My mother was at home.

What’s on your iPod?
I have a lot of Korean music: Big Bang. 4 Minute. 2PM.

Thanks Christine and good luck to you at Q-School and the big tour.

Find out more about Christine Song and other up and coming golfers at the Duramed Futures Tour web site.

This past weekend in Albany, the golfing season came to a close for the LPGA developmental league, the Duramed Futures Tour. By the end of the ILOVENY Championship, the top ten players on the money list earned their LPGA tour card, which gives them membership to play with the big girls next year. Of the top ten, three were of Korean descent: Misun Cho of Cheongju, South Korea; Song Yi Choi of Seoul, South Korea; and Christine Song of Fullerton, Calif. Many graduates of the Duramed Futures Tour have gone on to very successful careers on the LPGA tour, such as Christina Kim and Angela Park.  Lets hope that these three ladies make a big splash next year and continue the trend of Koreans winning on the LPGA tournament.

Cho also was a two-time winner this season. She finished the season ranked third in earnings at $64,118. She looks forward to next year’s LPGA season, when she’ll play against several fellow South Koreans.

“It makes me comfortable that there are so many Korean players out there,” said Cho. “I can relate to them. I’m just going to enjoy myself next year and just keep working hard.”

Source: Duramed Futures Tour

South Korean golfer and LPGA rookie M.J. Hur won the Safeway Classic on Sunday by sinking a 6-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to beat Suzann Pettersen for her very first LPGA Tour victory.  Hur shot a final round 65 to roar into a playoff against veteran Petterson and Michele Redman.  In the end, it was Hur who was doused with champagne and was holding the trophy at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Portland.  M.J. Hur is another Korean player who’s won for the first time on the LPGA Tour this year.

The bi-annual golf competition between the American women and the European women concluded on Sunday at Rich Harvest Farms in Illinois with the American women winning over the Europeans in a very tight match with a 16-12 decision.   Michelle Wie and Christina Kim were the two Korean-Americans who led the charge to the American victory.   In fact, Michelle Wie posted a 3-0-1 record during the week, which was best of any player who participated in the Solheim Cup.  She was a captain’s pick which meant she had not originally qualified for the team but was a special selection for the team.  It turned out to be a golden pick because her 3 points contributed signficantly to the win.

Michelle Wie, whose 3-0-1 record was the best of any American this week, grabbed a U.S. flag and held it aloft to cries of “Wheee!” from the crowd. As the last three matches finished, there were shrieks of joy when the next American joined the party, and new rounds of “U-S-A! U-S-A!”

It’s pretty awesome that these two Korean-Americans really represent what it means to be Korean-American.  At the closing ceremony, Christina Kim with “USA” painted on her cheecks, embraced Michelle Wie at the end of the singing of the U.S. national anthem.  Pretty awesome if you ask us!