Park In-bee of South Korea, ranked first in the world in women’s golf, has received sponsorship to drive a Ferrari FF for a year.
FMK Corp., the exclusive Ferrari and Maserati dealer in Korea, signed a one-year sponsorship with Park in its Ferrari showroom in Seoul on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old is a Korean professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. Since April 15 she has been No. 1 in the women’s world golf rankings.
Last year, she topped the list of LPGA players in both money earned and scoring average.
LPGA golfer Park In-bee and Forza motors Korea CEO Ahn Jong-won pose at a Ferrari dealership in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul, on Wednesday after the luxury sports carmaker offered the Ferrari FF for her use for the next year. ( Yonhap News)
So far this year, she has played 13 tournaments and won six, including three consecutive major championships ― becoming only the fourth-ever LPGA Tour player to win three majors in a calendar year.
Park seeks her fourth major win of this year at the British Open in St. Andrews, Scotland, Aug. 1-4.
“A major win is not a win of the kind that comes through separate training,” Park told reporters at the sponsorship signing ceremony. “The key lies in doing one’s best without wavering and overcoming pressure.”
The Ferrari FF is Ferrari’s first four-wheel drive grand tourer and was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show on March 1, 2011. FF stands for Ferrari Four, a reference to the model’s four seats and four-wheel drive.
The FF has a top speed of 335 kilometers per hour and accelerates from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 3.7 seconds. Ferrari states that the FF is the world’s fastest four-seat automobile. The FF costs $300,000, with 800 produced in its debut year.
“I am trying to be a golfer who instills dreams in people, like a Ferrari, which is a dream car for everyone,” Park said.
By Chun Sung-woo (
swchun@heraldcorp.com)