Women’s golf coach praises players for wholehearted effort

INCHEON, Aug. 23 (Yonhap) — South Korean golf icon Pak Se-ri on Tuesday said it was meaningful to take part in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics as a coach as she returned home from Brazil.

Pak, a World Golf Hall of Famer with 25 LPGA wins, led four South Korean golfers — Park In-bee, Yang Hee-young, Chun In-gee and Kim Sei-young — at the Rio Games, which ended on Sunday. South Korea took the gold medal in women’s golf after Park won the competition at 16-under 268.

During the Rio Games, Pak was a friendly leader. Not only did she encourage her players, but she also cooked for them so that they could feel comfortable throughout the tournament. But the 38-year-old coach said it’s the players who deserve the credit for their efforts.

“From the beginning our team had to handle the pressure of winning an Olympic medal,” she said. “But I believed in all four players, not only one.”

Pak said she respected Park who claimed the first Olympic women’s golf title awarded in 116 years.

“Her playing style is different than mine, but the way she plays her game without making mistakes is just amazing,” she said. “I feel thankful for Park not because she won the gold medal, but that she gave her best effort every time and became a leading player of the team.”

When asked how she would have performed at the Rio Games if she had been given a chance to play in her heyday, Pak said with a smile: “I also would have targeted the gold medal. But I’m not sure if I could have performed better than our young players.”

As a veteran and a pioneer of South Korean golf, Pak said she will continue to create a better environment for young golfers.

“As a national team coach, I will keep working for our young golfers, so that they can follow the path that seniors have paved for them,” she said.

South Korean women’s golf coach Pak Se-ri smiles after she arrived at Incheon International Airport in Incheon from the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Aug. 23, 2016.