Delasin joins elite world golf

She was the last player to be named to the elite 20-player field, but Dorothy Delasin will not be the least when she competes with a cast that includes major tournament champions, leading international shotmakers and the top players in the LPGA Tour money list in the Samsung World Championship beginning Thursday (today in Manila).

In fact, Delasin carries with her the LPGA Tour’s Rookie of the Year title, an award she gained following a rollercoaster campaign in the circuit she spiked with a stirring breakthrough victory in the Giant Eagle Classic in Warren, Ohio last July.

But she won that one without the top guns in the fold, unlike in this week’s 72-hole championship at the Hiddenbrooke Country Club in Vallejo, Calif. where Delasin will be as much tested as the rest of the limited, selected field composed of the best and the brightest in the circuit, led by Korean defending champion Se Ri Pak.

Delasin will tee off at 9:20 a.m. with Charlotta Sorenstam, the Standard Register Ping winner who like the Daly City-based Fil-Am is making her World Championship debut.

Aside from Pak, there are five other past winners of the Samsung World Championship – Annika Sorenstam (1995-96); Juli Inkster (1997-98); Rosie Jones (1988); Betsy King (1989); and Meg Mallon (1991).

The controversy in Europe’s victory over the United States in last week’s Solheim Cup might take another twist since 11 players are among those chasing for the $725,000 purse, including Swedish star Annika Sorenstam, who broke down in tears after she was told to replay a shot when the Americans pointed out she had played out of turn. She later berated the Americans for being poor sport.

The other players in the fold are Pat Hurst, Laura Davies, Michele Redman, Janice Moodie, Sherri Steinhauer and Kelly Robbins. International player Soo Yun Kang from Korea qualified by topping the Korean LPGA money list. After competing in this week’s event, Kang will tee it up at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament in Daytona Beach, Florida, while Canada’s two-time 2000 LPGA Tour winner Lorie Kane is also in the field.

And there is Karrie Webb, who lost the crown to Pak by one stroke but who has won five LPGA tournaments this season.

Like Delasin and Charlotta Sorenstam, those making their World Championship debut are Sophie Gustafson (Chick-fil-A Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez) and 2000 Tour rookie Grace Park (Kathy Ireland Greens.com LPGA Classic). The lineup also includes 1999 Rolex Rookie of the Year Mi Hyun Kim and 2000 US Women’s Open runner-up Cristie Kerr.

Pak won last year’s event by shooting an eight-under 280 at Rush Creek in Maple Grove, Minnesota, finishing one shot ahead of Webb in a tournament dominated more by strong Minnesota winds than quality play.