Inbee Park has three chances to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame this week.
After winning her 17th LPGA title on Sunday at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational, Park earned the 26th of 27 points required to earn entry into the World Golf Hall of Fame on the LPGA ballot. If she wins this week's season-ending CME Group Tour Championship for a sixth title in 2015, she'll earn the final point required to get into the Hall.
However, if she doesn't win, she can still qualify.
Going into the season finale, Park leads Lydia Ko by less than two-hundredths of a stroke for the Vare Trophy, the scoring average title. If Park wins that season-long honor, she'll earn a point.
Park trails Lydia Ko by just three points in the Rolex Player of the Year race. If she ends up overtaking Ko to earn the award, she'll also get a point.
The South Korean never expected to be on the verge of the Hall of Fame at the ripe old age of 27.
"I never really thought it was going to come this early, so I never really thought about it at all," she said Tuesday in Naples, Fla. "Obviously, after winning last week, I came really close. I felt like I took a really big step on the road to the Hall of Fame."
However, if Park gets to 27 points -- or beyond -- this week, she won't become eligible for induction until she completes 10 full seasons as an LPGA member. She is wrapping up her ninth LPGA season.
