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ROGERS, Arkansas: With the absence of a defending champion, freshly-crowned US Women's Open winner Inbee Park will headline the field at the 1.25 million US dollar LPGA Arkansas Championship.
The 19-year-old Park fired a two-under 71 to capture the US Women's Open on the weekend, becoming the youngest winner in the major championship's history.
"I've been very, very busy the last few days," South Korea's Park said. "I've got a lot of phone calls from Korea and hardly slept."
Winning her first major championship put a stain on Park's already hectic schedule.
"I finally got to sleep a little bit, so it's very good," she said. "I'm trying to get in good condition for myself to play this week."
Park shot under par in all four rounds at the Open and became the fifth first time winner on the LPGA Tour this year.
There is no defending champion at this year's 54-hole Arkansas event because heavy rains washed out the final two rounds of the 2007 tournament.
Stacy Lewis fired an opening round seven-under 65 before the storms made the course unplayable and organizers determined no winner would be declared.
Park said the course is in much better condition this year.
"The course is in great shape. I like the course very much. It's a very pretty golf course. Hopefully the weather holds up all right this year and I will have a great event.
"The win last week gave me a lot of confidence. So going into this week I was very, very confident."
Lewis finished tied for third at last week's US Open.
"I'm really excited about this week," she said. "I get to play in front of the hometown crowd. This week's been crazy already, so I'm really excited, and I just want the tournament to get started."
American Paula Creamer will be searching for her seventh career win on the Tour. She is one of three multiple winners in 2008.
Creamer will be playing in the opening two rounds in a group that includes Park and American compatriot Morgan Pressel.
"We should have a good crowd out there, especially the 4th of July," she said. "I always like playing with the good players. That's what you want. You want to be able to compete with the best players."
- AFP/jk
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