Golf Legend Se Ri Pak Reveals She Declined Golf Invitations from Former U.S. Presidents

Se Ri Pak, the renowned golfer who reportedly earned 13 billion won in tournament winnings, recently revealed that she turned down golf invitations from former U.S. Presidents.

On the October 2nd episode of TV Chosun's 'Gourmet Heo Young-man's Baekban Journey,' Se Ri Pak embarked on a culinary trip to her hometown of Daejeon.

Pak shared that she began her professional golf career at the age of 14. "I lived in the U.S. for 18 years. I went there at 19 and debuted after taking a test at 20," she said.

Although she is now fluent in English, Pak admitted that she struggled with the language in the past. "At first, I couldn't understand what people were asking, and it was embarrassing. I avoided people because I couldn't respond," she confessed. However, Pak didn't let this discourage her. "Even if I wasn't good at English, I acted confidently, and it made me seem like I was better than I was. It's not my native language, so it's okay not to be perfect," she explained.

Despite choosing to pursue a career in the LPGA, it wasn't always easy. Pak was so passionate that she would drive 18 hours to participate in tournaments, which has left her with a lasting aversion to long car rides.

Pak also shared that she received golf invitations from former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. When asked by Heo Young-man why she declined, Pak laughed and said, "I don't really know." She added, "I was focused on my real goals and didn't think about those things." Her ultimate goal was to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and to win the U.S. Open before retiring, both of which she achieved. Heo Young-man remarked, "Retiring at 40 makes sense. You've accomplished everything."

By Ji-won Kim, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr