But heading into the weekend at the HSBC Women’s Champions, it seems the 28-year-old is back to her old self, as she leads by one over a trio of golfers including Michelle Wie, Mi Jung Hur, and World No.2 Ariya Jutanugarn.
Park was able to offset a double bogey on the par-4 12th Friday with seven birdies, including one on her final hole of the day to break her out of the foursome at 9-under and get to double-digits under par for the week at the Tanjong Course at the Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore.
“It's a good round today,” said Park. “Obviously I got off to a very hot start. I was able to make some putts early in the round and then I had a little bit of a mistake on No. 12. I had a couple of birdies on the back nine, so I was able to clean up my mess.”
Park didn’t play on the LPGA Tour after June in 2016, after missing the cut at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. She made two starts in May, but withdrew after the first round in both the LPGA Volvik Championship and Kingsmill Championship presented by JTBC. She took two months off after the Women’s PGA Championship and shocked the golfing world by winning gold in her competitive return in Rio.
“I just had tough times last year, so the sooner I get back, it’s better,” Park explained. “I was nervous and excited, because I haven’t played competitive golf in a while. To compete in tournament golf it felt like forever. I never took that kind of break in my whole life, so it was just something different.”
The former world no.1 in the Rolex Rankings has slid down to 12th, but she notched a T25 in her 2017 debut at the Honda LPGA Thailand.
“I said I was a little bit nervous (last) week, but I think that got much better this week,” said Park. “Obviously expectations are lower than what I have usually set for myself the last few years.”
Jutanugarn, who can’t eclipse Lydia Ko for No.1 in the Rolex Rankings even with a victory this week, made five birdies and just a lone bogey Friday for a 4-under-par 68. She’s recorded two straight top-10 finishes this season but is looking for her first victory after five in 2016.
“I think everybody want to win this tournament. It's special tournament,” said Jutanugarn who is very much looking forward to Saturday’s final pairing with Park, someone who she says inspires her. “But, I just want to try to play my own game and have fun tomorrow.”
Michelle Wie, who led after round one – her first LPGA Tour lead since 2014 – was bogey-free on Friday, and her 9-under-par total has her tied for second, just one shot back of the lead. She’s in position for her best LPGA Tour finish since the 2014 season, the last time she recorded a top five.
“I was just really excited,” said Wie about her return to the top of the leaderboard. “I woke up before my alarm clock, ready to go, just really excited to be out there. I was feeling a bit of nerves but mostly just excitement. It was a good-to-be-back feeling for sure.”
Mi Jung Hur tied with Park, Suzann Pettersen, Sei Young Kim, Beatriz Recari, and defending champion Ha Na Jung (who also captured last week’s LPGA Tour title) for the round of the day with a 5-under-par 67. She’s tied with Wie and Jutanugarn in the runner-up position.
World No.1 Lydia Ko backed up her opening-round 69 with a 4-under-par 68 on Friday, and she sits tied for seventh. Ko credited the fans for some great support so far.
“It’s always nice to have some hometown fans come out no matter where in the world I am,” she said. “It makes me proud, and it’s really cool to see them, and hear the accents that I’ve kind of lost.”
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