Five-time champion Pak pulls out of tourney

Se Ri Pak, of South Korea, watches her tee-shot on the par-3 ninth hole during the second round of the LPGA Championship golf tournament at Locust Hill Country Club in Pittsford, N.Y. on Friday. Enlarge

Dina Ammaccapane tees off on the 17th tee Monday at Highland Meadows as players began practicing. THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH Enlarge | Buy This Photo

Se Ri Pak, the golfer most associated with the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, is skipping this week's tournament.

The five-time champion and winner of more than $1 million while playing in every Farr Classic since 1997 withdrew Monday.

An LPGA spokesman said he had no knowledge of the reason for her withdrawal, but a close friend, Toledoan Mac Rafati, said Pak cited health reasons and fatigue for her decision.

"Se Ri has done nothing but support this tournament since we gave her a sponsor exemption back in '97," said Farr Classic director Judd Silverman. "If she has some physical ailment, I totally respect her decision. But we'll miss her."

Pak was invited to play in the Farr as a non-LPGA member and missed the cut in 1997. But she began her dominance of the event with a memorable performance a year later when she posted consecutive rounds of 61-63 en route to a nine-shot victory. Her 61 and a 261 total were both LPGA records at the time.

In 13 appearances at the Farr, Pak has five wins and four other top-10 finishes.

Earlier this year, Pak withdrew from the Tres Marias Championship in Mexico after a first-round 84 but rebounded in her next start to win the Bell Micro LPGA Classic, a 54-hole event, with rounds of 69-66-68.

She also withdrew two weeks ago from the ShopRite Classic after opening with a 73. Last week, Pak missed the cut at the LPGA Championship in Rochester, N.Y., with rounds of 79-75.

Pak was not the only recognizable name to withdraw from the Farr field since the LPGA released what it calls a final field list. Helen Alfredsson, Laura Diaz, and Suzann Pettersen, the No. 4 golfer on the latest Rolex women's world golf rankings, all pulled out.

PRO-AM: Teams headed by pros Reilley Rankin and Joo Mi Kim scored victories in yesterday's Mercy/Lucas County Healthy Communities Foundation Pro-Am, the opening preliminary event to the Farr Classic.

Rankin and amateur partners Dave Jagodzinski, Bob Balser, Michael Kripinski, and Jim Eckert won low gross honors with a 15-under-par 56.

Low net went to Kim and partners Sharon Gillespie, Pam Swint, Lisa Hawker, and Beth Matthews. Their handicap-adjusted score was 49.99.

JUNIOR PRO-AM: Pro Allison Fouch and her team won the Aquafina Junior Pro-Am, a unique event that pairs LPGA members with top local high school players in a scramble. Fouch and partners Emily Mock, Katie Wellman, Katie Gross and Emily McKillips scored a 14-under 57.

The runner-up team was actually an Am-Am, as 17-year-old amateur Jessica Korda, a sponsor exemption in the Farr field, headed a team that included Meredith Taylor, Alex Graf, Evelina Antypas and Lauren Yarad. They carded a 58.

TOP PRIZE: Top prize in yesterday's KeyBank putting pro-am at Highland Meadows went to pro Kate Golden and amateur partners Steve Bowe, Paul Croy, James Buchanan and Ron Donnal.