I had a special rooting interest in the U.S. Women's Open today.

Inbee Park of South Korea, just 19 years old, pulled away and cruised to an easy victory over LPGA veteran Helen Alfredsson in Edina, Minn. Park shot a two-under-par 71 in the final round for a four-day total of nine-under-par 283.

Park become the youngest-ever U.S. Women's Open champion, but that's not why I was pulling for her to win. I had a chance to play with Inbee during a Futures Tour media event at Capital Hills at Albany two years ago.

Fellow Daily Gazette staffers Mike MacAdam and Mark Landolfo joined me in a media challenge, eventually won by a team from the Times Union. Although we didn't threaten the course record, we had a great time with Inbee as our pro.

She was quite shy back then as a 17-year-old, but she already had an excellent command of English, and she told us how she had adapted to the American way of life quite quickly.

It's amazing how many outstanding players there from South Korea on the LPGA Tour. Inbee said she started playing the game 10 years ago after watching Se Ri Pak, also of South Korea, win the U.S. Open.

I'm sure Inbee wouldn't remember us hackers from the Gazette, but it's always nice to find a local connection to the pro golfing tours.

By the way, anyone who watched the Women's Open had to be thrilled with the way Annika Sorenstam completed what could be her final U.S. Open. She pitched in for eagle, and the crowd went crazy. Alhough she didn't have a great day otherwise, it will be a moment she will never forget.