Angela Park

The Angela Park retirement rumor is really blowing me away.  We currently only have one source for the rumor but I believe Larry Smich would not have named her so quickly if there was much doubt from his sources.  It is true Angela has played terribly in recent weeks but not too long ago, she looked much like the Rookie Of The Year we saw back in 2007. 

Park finished 2008 as #25 in my rankings.  She started 2009 on a very good note, tying for third at both SBS and HSBC and finishing tied for seventh at Phoenix.  Going into the Kraft Nabisco Championship, Angela was up to #14.  At Mission Hills she managed to make the cut on the number (+8) and went on to finish T48.  Two events (but four weeks) later at the Michelob Ultra, she missed her first cut of the year and missed it badly - by nine shots.  The following week Park rebounded at Sybase, coming in T37 after making the cut with two shots to spare.  After Angela MC'd Corning by one (the cut was -3 and she shot 71-71), it appeared she had gotten rusty in the post-KNC layoff and was playing her way back in a reasonable fashion.  At this point she ranked #19.

It wasn't to be.  At State Farm she opened with a 69 but exploded to an 80 on Friday to miss the cut by seven.  At the LPGA Championship she shot 83 in Round One and withdrew.  Park literally hit rock bottom at the Farr, missing the cut by 12 with a two-day score four shots worse than any other player.  Then at the U.S. Open, she missed the cut by eight shots.  Today she withdrew from the Evian Masters.

Angela currently ranks #48, dropping an incredible 29 positions in only four events.  The MCs and an average of more than 79 strokes over her last six rounds cost her a lot of HD system points.  It's a terrible stretch, especially for a player who was playing so well just a couple of months before, but throwing in the towel so quickly just doesn't seem like a well thought-out choice.  She still ranks 33^rd on this year's money list and given the (relatively) few events left on the 2009 schedule, I'd say Park is a lock to finish in the Top 80 and keep her Category 1 status for next year.

That last thought is one that I hope has occurred to Angela if she indeed has walked away.  She has plenty of time to get her head straight (or whatever else might have intervened to prompt her slide) before the return door closes.  I would hope we see her tee it up next week at Lytham but she might be better off to take advantage of the long layoff following the WBO and make sure all is right with her world before she jumps back in.  And if she doesn't, I hope she'll eventually let us know why.  Either way - hope to see you soon, Angela.