Pak beats par to make point at men's event

Se Ri Pak, after becoming the first woman to make the cut in a men's golf tour event in 58 years, shot a one-under 71 here yesterday to tie for 10th place in the SBS Super Tournament.

Sinking a birdie at the last, Chang Ik-je won the tournament with a 13-under-par total of 275, one stroke clear of Cho Hyon-joon.

Pak finished on two under par with a total of 286. "Women can also do it!" the 26-year-old Pak said after completing the four rounds. "I'm a bit disappointed that I couldn't lower my score more, but I'm very satisfied with the result.

"I think this tournament has been an opportunity for me to mature. I discovered inside me something I had not realised before."

On Friday, Pak became the first woman to make the cut in a men's tournament since Babe Zaharias made 36-hole cuts in three PGA events in 1945.

She was the latest in a series of female golfers to play against men this year. The LPGA's top-ranked player, Annika Sorenstam, became the first woman in 58 years to play on the PGA Tour, but she missed the cut at the Colonial. The Connecticut club pro Suzy Whaley (PGA Tour), the 13-year-old amateur Michelle Wie (Nationwide, Canadian tours) and Britain's Laura Davies (Asian PGA Tour) failed to make the cut at other tournaments. Jan Stephenson played on the Champions Tour, which has no 36-hole cut, and tied for last.