Josh Sens
Pebble Beach, Calif. – The yell rang out from behind the first tee, as clear as a cry of “Mashed potatoes!” Except that the word was in Korean, and it wasn’t a reference to the starchy side of the restaurant.
“Namdala!” Eun Sun Kim shouted again.
A soft-spoken, self-described “mother and housewife”, she wore stylish shades, a sun hat and a relaxed blue blazer, in contrast to the group of women standing with her, all in pink blazers with NDL letters, a short “namdalla” at the back. They shouted “namdalla,” too, a chorus of support for an unfit player in the group at 1:18 p.m., in the second round of the US Women’s Open in Pebble Beach.
Namdala translates to “I am different”. It’s also the nickname of Sung Hyun Park, two-time main champion, former world No. 1 female golfer, and cultural adoration object in Korea that’s close to the love bestowed on K-pop stars. Park’s play has fallen sharply since its peak in 2017-18 — she hasn’t won it in four years and her Rolex rating has fallen to 226 — doing little to quell her fans’ fervor. When you play in Korea, shouts of “namdalla” call for noise-canceling headphones. In this country, the echoes are weaker, but they travel through the air in remote places, thanks to loyal followers like Eun Sun Kim.
She had flown into California from Seoul on Wednesday, and popped into Pebble just after sunrise Thursday to watch Park take off at 7:22 a.m.
“Namdala!” Kim exclaimed. It was no use.
Park hauled her first hole of the course, a grim indication of the seven-over-par 79 she would have played. The whole day was grueling, but Kim and her fellow namdala screamers stuck by Park all 18, cheering — or groaning — with every shot.
What inspired this devotion was hard for Kim to say. She’s a golfer herself, with a handicap of 18, and a fan of the professional game, but didn’t really fall head over heels for any player until 2016, when Park hit her stride. Perhaps it was because Kim’s two children were now all grown up, and she needed something new to occupy her time. Or maybe she liked Park’s smooth swing, with an easy motion that produced a lot of power.
Whatever the case, it may not have been Park’s strength of character. Press-shy, reticent with fellow professionals, Park was once described by a famous sportswriter as “making Ben Hogan look social.”
Kim said, “I don’t know.” “I can only say that she has a kind heart.”
In Korea, when Park was playing her best, Kim became a regular in the crowd. Nor was she averse to international travel. In 2019, Park tracked in two international events, one in France and one in Florida.
Soon, Park’s game fizzled, but Kim’s fondness for her wasn’t. When the Pebble came around, it was too good to miss.
“I wanted to support her in this beautiful place,” Kim said.
Friday looked cloudy but Kim’s outlook was optimistic. She came to the course with her friend, park fanatic Mim Soon-cho, who also made the trip from Seoul. Fan club members have a way of blending in wherever they travel, and they’re soon joined by 12 other such fandoms, all with the jackets fitted to prove it. Some had Park’s surname sewn into their caps.
Park split the fairway with her opening putt, but Pebble’s first four holes are where the pros make straws, and Park was steady but unspectacular on them, playing them to par before back-to-back bogeys on the 5th and 6th. .
“Namdala!” Someone cried out, though the tone was one of desperation.
“Our hearts are all aching,” Kim said.
Tough days on the track have a slow death arc. Anger and denial give way to sadness, which eventually turns to resignation and acceptance. Park’s tour continued, and Kim and her co-stars walked with her, asking for their trademark advice.
namdala. namdala. namdala. Now it is more of a refrain than a rallying cry.
Ghost Park 9. The eleventh day drops to 11 during the event. There was no hope for the weekend when she hit her 18th tee, nearly six hours since her day began.
The sun was low. Fog dawned off the coast. Three full shots and a chip, and Park was on the green, with four feet to par, which she missed. ghost.
“A very difficult day,” Kim said. “No birds. Not even close.”
Still smiling. I knew what was coming. Park dove into the recorder’s tent, and moments later, she emerged and headed straight for Kim and her crowd. hugs. bows. the pictures.
“It’s hard for me to put into words how much this support means to me,” Park said through a translator. With a final bow, she pulled away.
Kim watched her go.
“I’ll be back Sunday to watch the last round,” she said. “Although, I will sleep tomorrow.”