TURNBERRY (Britain) • South Korea's Park In Bee had once hoped to win all the top tournaments in women's golf before her career came to an end. After winning the British Open on Sunday, the 27-year-old now finds herself searching for new goals.
Her three-shot win over compatriot Ko Jin Young at Turnberry gave her a seventh Major championship and confirmed her status as one of the greatest players of all time.
She needs just three more Majors to join greats Annika Sorenstam and Babe Zaharias at fourth on the all-time list.
She is almost halfway to the 15 achieved by the legendary Patty Berg between 1937 and 1958.
The world No. 1 has now won six of the last 14 Majors and will be looking to cap a terrific season with victory at the year's last major - the Evian Championship.
Park won the tournament in its previous incarnation as the Evian Masters before it became the LPGA's official fifth Major two years ago.
"I've put my name on every single Major championship," she said.
"I won Evian before it became a Major so it would be good to win it again this year."
The LPGA has said that winning any four of the five Majors is enough to earn the career grand slam, with all five earning a "super slam". Nevertheless, there are many observers who insist that Park has not technically achieved the career slam yet.
Regardless of the debate, Park said she had achieved the "greatest goal as a professional golfer" after becoming the seventh female golfer to win four different Majors in her career.
"I always thought this would be the last goal of my career," she told Korea's Yonhap news agency following her record-equalling final round of 65 to win the British Open with a 12-under 276 total.
"I am honoured to have my dream come true when I'm this young."
She was at her stoic, unruffled self in south Ayrshire as Scotland's wind and rain battered the players over four difficult days.
While the testing course and brutal conditions saw players recording eights and nines, with Spaniard Beatriz Recari even carding a 10 in the second round, Park kept her composure throughout. She never scored worse than bogey.
Ko, the 20-year-old Korean LPGA player, finished second after a 71, with world No. 2 Lydia Ko (69) and Ryu So Yeon (68) tied for third on eight-under par.
Three behind going into the final round, Park was still three behind Ko Jin Young with five to play.
But she eagled the 14th and made her seventh birdie of the day at the 16th. Ko Jin Young, a joint overnight leader, holed massive putts for an eagle at the seventh and birdies at the eighth and 10th to take control.
But she made her first error when she three-putted for bogey at the 13th - and that slip-up coincided with Park's eagle at the 14th.
Her title hopes finally ended with a double-bogey six at the 16th, paving the way for Park's win.
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
