Younger Park finds her game

Nick Christensen

Monday, June 13, 2005 | 9:42 a.m.

There isn't much shade at Angel Park's Mountain Course, but In-Ah Park will still be playing out of one big shadow at this week's American Junior Golf Association tournament.

In-Ah, a freshman at Bishop Gorman, is the younger sister of golf phenom In-Bee Park, whose fifth-place, 12-under par performance at April's LPGA event in Las Vegas turned heads nationwide. In-Bee, a junior at Gorman, is also the defending state medalist in high school golf.

In-Bee shot a six-under 65 at the state tournament last October. In-Ah finished with an 83, second place on her Gorman team and 11th statewide.

Since then, though, In-Ah's game has continued to improve, as has her enjoyment of the game, said Gaels golf coach Kelsey McCall.

"I think In-Ah is starting to come into her own identity in playing the game maturitywise," McCall said. "She's not just thought of as In-Bee's little sister. That's what I see developing."

In-Ah will be the lone Park sister competing in the Las Vegas Founders Junior Golf Championship, which begins Tuesday at the Summerlin municipal course.

And for In-Ah, that's a good thing.

"If she's (In-Bee) here, I'm not going to win the tournament," In-Ah said. "Now I have a chance."

In-Ah said she started golfing about four years ago, joining her sister out of boredom.

McCall said that for awhile, it was clear that In-Ah was golfing just because her sister was, too.

"I see her doing it now because I see her enjoying it," McCall said. "That's when she's going to get better. I see her wanting to do this -- which is a big change from when she got here last summer. It's enjoyable to watch her be happy about playing and not just playing because In-Bee's playing."

That change of attitude was what brought In-Ah up from being the fifth golfer on the Bishop Gorman team to the No. 2 girl by the time the team headed for the regional and state tournaments. The Gaels won both.

"I think people expect her to live up to the expectations... and until about now she's been In-Bee's little sister," McCall said. "She's starting to be old enough and strong enough in her own game. I think people will start to see In-Ah for In-Ah and not for In-Bee's sister."

Not that In-Ah minds that.

"She's a great player," In-Ah said. "It doesn't matter with me. It's great to have a sister like In-Bee."

The AJGA event will last through Thursday. Other local entrants to the junior event include David Hahn and Adam Tebbs of Henderson, Kevin Lim and Michael Pinjuv of Las Vegas and Angelica Wright of North Las Vegas.