CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Former Illini and four-time letterwinner (2004-08), Seul-Ki Park, was the first All-Big Ten honoree under head coach Renee Slone after earning a spot on the Second Team during the 2007-08 season. Winning a pair of tournaments throughout her Illini career, Park earned her first Big Ten Golfer of the week honor on April 11, 2007 after winning her first tournament at the Indiana Invitational. Park was the first golfer in two years to win the honor with Kristine Cook being the last in 2005. She was the top average stroke leader among the Orange and Blue from 2005-08, ending her senior year with a 75.41.
In the record books, Park still holds three records among a talented group of Illini. The Northbrook, Ill. native still holds the lowest single round score in program history after a first-round score of 66 (-6) at the 2007 Shootout at The Legends. This ties her with Illini legend Becky Beach, recent graduate Bing Singhsumalee, and rising sophomore Kornkamol Sukaree. Park also carded the fifth-lowest 36-Hole Tournament Total with an even par-144 and the ninth lowest 72-Hole Tournament Total of 303 (+15) at the 2008 Big Ten Championships.
Off the course, Park was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree (2005-08) and was one of five Illini women's golfers to earn the George Huff Award for the 2005-06 season. Park graduated with her Bachelor's of Science in Community Health and currently resides in Winchester, Mass. as an Assistant Golf Professional at the Winchester Country Club while still playing golf professionally.
Park has spent the past seven years competing on the LPGA Symetra Tour. She has played in numerous LPGA events, including a top-10 finish at the 2012 Florida's Natural Charity Classic, where she tied for fourth overall. In 2015, she earned an exemption into the LPGA Canadian Women's Open as a result of finishing third on the Canadian Women's Tour money list. Last June, Park participated in one of the five LGPA majors at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in Chaska, Minn. She is the daughter of Yong-Kyu and Ji-Eun and has one younger brother, Kevin.
Why did you choose Illinois?
After my recruiting visit, I felt Illinois would provide the perfect balance between good academics and growth in my golf career.
What is your favorite team memory?
Traveling to tournaments was always my favorite. It was so cool to wear matching team uniforms and bleeding Orange and Blue to represent our school. Our long van rides were pretty entertaining. We would blast music singing and/or dancing to the lyrics. We also purchased multiple decks of Uno cards to see how long it would take someone to win.
What was your favorite campus spot?
Outside the Union. It was the center of the action. There was always a lot of students around I could always count on bumping into a friend or an acquaintance. I remember spending a lot of my time at Irwin Academic Center and near the Huff Hall/six pack dorm area. Walking around the Union reminded me I was a student, not just an athlete and that there is life outside of golf.
How did the University of Illinois prepare you for your career?
Every year it was my goal to improve my stroke average and to perform better in tournaments. When I graduated, I left with confidence in my golf game, bringing curiosity in what was next for my golf career. In 2010, I turned professional in pursuit of my dream to play golf for a living.
What has been the most valuable lesson you learned from your time at Illinois?
Perseverance. I have made mistakes, and there were certainly times I wanted to give up either because school felt overwhelming or too hard to keep up with, I was golfing poorly, or my social life was taking a toll. There are no shortcuts and the things we face are supposed to be hard. The only way for our success to taste sweeter is to face all the obstacles that led to that moment.
Coach (Renee) Slone was there to help us move forward from our failures. She met with each player to make sure we were in line with our goals and made sure we adjusted to adversities.
How did the U of I help you grow during your college journey (golf, academics, personal)?
There were a lot of things I did not know going into college. I was the first in my family to attend college in the states so there were a lot of lessons I learned. Being a student-athlete required me to be diligent with my time, utilize all my resources, be a good communicator with my coaches and professors to make sure we were on the same page and schedule, making rational decisions for myself, and setting realistic short-term and long-terms goals. All these led to establishing good habits.
How has the alumni network impacted your experience during your time on campus and following graduation?
I have learned how important it is to establish relationships in college. Furthermore, the skills required to maintain relationships are essential to life after graduation. Keeping in touch with fellow teammates and Coach Slone allows me to stay connected. The Illinois Women's Annual ProAm is a fantastic way to bring supporters and alumni together to grow the women's golf program. The social media, particularly the Illini women's golf Instagram account has done a great job keeping me and fellow alumni informed about what is going on with the team.
I currently live in Boston and work as an instructor at Winchester Country Club. I am trying to grow the game for young females in this area. I try to do my best to keep in touch with Coach Slone as she provides a lot of resourceful knowledge about college golf and recruitment. It is just wonderful being able to stay in touch with coach to still discuss my golf game and to pick her brain about my profession.
How did being a member of the Illinois women's golf team impact you?
To be a part of a team that works together to accomplish a common goal is such a unique experience. Being a part of this program gave me confidence and a way for me to identify myself.
How would you describe your relationship with your teammates and coaches?
Life happens so we are not able to communicate often. Thanks to social media we are able to stay connected and informed of what everyone is up to.
What skills did you gain/develop by being an Illini student-athlete?
I learned how preparation can make a big difference in performance. I have limited time to practice as I work about 60 hours a week. I budgeted my time to allow for enough practice to feel prepared for tournaments. Last August, I finished tied for first at the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Nationals which qualified me to play in the LPGA KPMG PGA Championship this year. It can be intimidating to play against the best female golfers in the world, while working 60 hours a week. Playing on the team at Illinois taught me how to budget my time and practice efficiently. I was able to hang with the best golfers in the world on one of the toughest courses in the world.
What do you miss most from your time on campus?
Being on the golf team and having all the logistics and financial matters taken care of.
What advice would you like to share with our current team members?
Embrace every tournament and moment you share with your teammates because you will never get this time back. Be kind and humble. Also, be thankful for all the resources that are available to you and take advantage of it. After graduating and playing on the LPGA Symetra Tour for six years, I have realized how good we had it as student-athletes.
What items are on your bucket list?
To qualify for the US Women's Open
When was the last time you were on campus?
In 2012, I was passing by on my way to a tournament in Decatur. I contacted Coach Slone and she gave me a chipping lesson. That week I finished top-15 on the Symetra Tour.
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