Why are so many Women Golfers from Asia?

[brizz]

So I was checking out some of the Women's U.S. Open this weekend to root for Jennifer Rosales - and I realized how many Asian women there are on the women's tour. I looked at the full leaderboard, and 18 of the 66 women playing were from Asia. Why do you suppose that is? And why isn't there a similar influx on the men's tour? There's Hideki Matsui, but I can't think of any others....particularly Korea who seems to have a number of lady pros. Just curious as to what there is about golf that brings in the asian ladies but not the men....

Any of our eastern-acquainted members care to weigh in?

[Jericho]

It seems that most female athletes come from a small group of countries, i.e. the US, China, Australia, Russia. I suppose a part of it is the promotion of female atheltics in the East. But knowing little about Asian sports programs or female golf, it's just an idea.

[ChiTownAbs, Inc]

Need pics.

[Gallant Pig]

Se Ri Pak

[Gallant Pig]

Also they're mostly Korean.

[Dabaomb]

Koreans love golf. Many own golf stores/driving ranges/etc.

As to why more men aren't on the tour, I have no idea.

[brizz]

Originally posted by ChiTownAbs, Inc.
Need pics.

I've got a bit of a thing for Jennifer Rosales right now...mostly because she's kind of a wild child that doesn't wear the same ole drab golf crap....she's 25 I think and was born in the phillipines - My guess is that her dad was U.S. military judging solely by her last name. She went to USC but plays under the Phillipino flag.

http://www.lpga.com/content/photos/pp_Rosales_Jennifer_lg.jpg

http://www.thejournalnews.com/bigapplegallery/images/54.jpg

http://www.golftime.com.cn/news/images/shijue/2003/9.1/1_b.jpg

[Gallant Pig]

I like Rosales, she has a nice funky refreshing style.

I like Marti of Spain more. :drool:

Ochoa is pretty refreshing also.

[tofu]

http://www.golfdigest.com/features/index.ssf?/features/gd200404korea.html

Nice article on your question.

[brizz]

thanks tofu....interesting stuff. so it's kind of a Tiger Woods thing (getting black kids interested in golf) only with Se Ri Pak.....I wondered as much.

[Gallant Pig]

Hey I already told you that. :D

[brizz]

you need to elaborate a little more in your posts GP :p

[devilshalo]

Originally posted by brizz
My guess is that her dad was U.S. military judging solely by her last name.

Out of curiosity, why would you guess that?

Or do you not realize that there is a heavy Spanish influence in the Philippines?

[brizz]

it dawned on me a little later that it probably instead harkened back to the Spanish-American war and Spain's history there.....i therefore retract that guess :) I was initially just thinking of the big US presence there today....

my "duh" for the day (it was the fourth of July you know ;) )

[isamu]

Grace Park is the hottest female golfer on the PLANET! With a hulluva nice rack to boot!