Korea vs. Japan: this time, it's the PGA Tour

Suddenly, the most wanted job in golf is an interpreter.

I don't speak a word of Japanese, but listening to Shigeki Maruyama's interpreter giving interviews last Sunday, I had to wonder if things weren't being lost in translation. Somehow, the translated answers were always a lot shorter than what Maruyama actually said. For the record, K.J. Choi's interpreter, Michael Yim, used the term 'ditch' in explaining what Choi meant as a divot. Most of the translators perhaps can't tell a pitching wedge from a sand wedge. Anyway, if K.J. or any of the Korean gals on the LPGA Tour needs a new interpreter, I am the first in line.

Further on the 32-year-old Maruyama: the likeable Japanese star continued the Asian winning trend on the PGA Tour by capturing the Verizon Byron Nelson Classic-darn, another corporate title, and this one is for a living golf legend and his own tournament no less. What's next, EDS Byron Nelson Championship? Wait, it actually is, starting next year. I digress.

Maru, as he is affectionately known among the Tour pros, is now the second Asian in as many weeks to win a PGA Tour event and the first Asian to win twice on the Tour. In the process, he had to fend off a Sunday charge by some guy named Tiger Woods. Heard Woods is not too bad, but just not good enough last Sunday, when he finished four strokes back of Maruyama.

With a hostile history between Korea and Japan aside, however, I must admit to feeling jealous of Maruyama's beating Choi to the second career victory by an Asian, a feat I had hoped that the Korean, or a Korean, would accomplish first.

This has nothing to do with the cheerful Maruyama, who is such a refreshing presence among his at-times dull and jaded fellow players. This guy probably smiles more often and more sincerely in one round than most others do during an entire tournament. Shigeki seems to be the only guy out there who is genuinely grateful for being paid to play golf and is enjoying himself at work. What a contrast he is to Choi, a shier and a quieter sort who seems more businesslike on the course. Neither speaks much English, but, judging from his effervescent and animated demeanour, one wouldn't know that about Maruyama.

Rather, it's just that Korea and Japan have a deep-running sporting rivalry unlike few others. Think Leafs vs. Habs. Yankees vs. Red Sox. Lakers vs. Celtics. Canada vs. USA in hockey. Mike Tyson vs. the Nevada Athletic Commission. For the two Asian countries, it's Hyundai vs. Honda (okay, this isn't sports but people still confuse the former-Korean-with the latter-Japanese.). Chan Ho Park vs. Hideo Nomo from their Los Angeles Dodgers days. Byung Hyun Kim vs. Hideki Irabu as blossoming closers for their respective teams, the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Texas Rangers. And to think that Korea and Japan will actually co-host world's biggest sporting event, 2002 FIFA World Cup, starting May 31st; while we're at it, soccer may well be the most contentious area of their sporting competition.

Go To Page: 1 2