Inbee Park targets Grand Slam at British Women's Open

Inbee Park will resume her quest for a career Grand Slam when the 40th British Women's Open gets under way at Turnberry on Thursday.

The South Korean has already won the three American-based majors - the ANA Inspiration (formerly Kraft Nabisco Championship), the Women's PGA and the US Women's Open.

She also triumphed in the Evian Championship in 2012, the same year she finished runner-up to compatriot Jiyai Shin in the Women's British Open at Royal Liverpool.

 

Despite having three LPGA victories to her name this season, the world No 1 admits she travels to the Donald Trump-owned Scottish links struggling for form.

"It's the time of year where I'm not really hitting it great... but I am just trying to play through it," said Park, who revealed she is suffering from back pain following a long transatlantic flight.

The true Grand Slam would be winning the British Open and that is my main goal this week.

 

“The true Grand Slam would be winning the British Open and that is my main goal. But I come into this week with no expectations," added the 27-year-old who is playing Turnberry for the first time in her career.  

"Last week in the final round I had probably one of my worst rounds of the year (76 in the Meijer LPGA Classic), and I was just hitting the ball everywhere. Really it freed up my mind.

"You get a couple of weeks like that where you don't feel like you're hitting the ball that well. But sometimes it takes a couple of days to come back, sometimes it can take one to two weeks to get back to position."

'Amazing'

In contrast, teenage prodigy Lydia Ko, who is seeking a first major title after 15 attempts, travels to the Ayrshire course on the back of a fourth-place finish at the Ladies Scottish Open at Troon last week.

The South Korean-born New Zealander, who finished fourth to Australian Rebecca Artis, used her outing at the Ayrshire links - just a few miles from Turnberry - to ready herself for the conditions she expects to encounter this week.

Asked how many majors she would like to have by the time she is 30 - when she says she will retire - Ko said with a laugh: "I have no idea. Even one would be amazing."

I just love the golf course but I can only remember a few holes because it was so windy and rainy that day, I didn't get to take it all in.

 

Charley Hull is the top British player in the field this week and the world No 48 is hoping for a repeat of her experience when she won a club event at the same course... aged just nine.

"It was 10 years ago and I remember it was so windy I got blown over at the 10th and 11th," she said. "There were 24,000 entries from British clubs and I won in a play-off against a 35-year-old.

"Good memories definitely help," she told the BBC. "I just love the golf course but I can only remember a few holes because it was so windy and rainy that day, I didn't get to take it all in."

Hull will be joined in the line-up by former world No 1 Dame Laura Davies, who insists she is not without a chance over the Ailsa Course this weekend.

The 51-year-old, winner of 79 events worldwide, said: "I played there once and missed the cut, but it's a course where I like the holes, and there is no reason why I shouldn't have a good crack at it like I did at Birkdale last year."

There are 34 US players in the 144-woman field this week and they will be looking to complete a hat-trick of victories for Americans after Stacy Lewis triumphed in 2013 and Mo Martin last year.