Pak Keeps Her Game Despite Health

Friday, November 22nd 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) _ Se Ri Pak has a hard enough time beating Annika Sorenstam when she's healthy, so she was pleasantly surprised to be tied for the lead in the season-ending ADT Championship.

Pak hasn't been able to eat solid food in a week, and spent Thursday sipping protein shakes under orders from her caddie.

She has lost so much weight that even Sorenstam jokingly told her at one point, ``Your shorts are falling down.''

If that wasn't enough, Pak slightly injured her right wrist while warming up.

``It's too much pain. I shouldn't be here,'' said Pak, who considered withdrawing before she got to the first tee. ``However, I'm here. I'll try to do my best.''

Her best was a 5-under 67 that gave her a share of the lead with Sorenstam and Meg Mallon at relatively tame Trump International.

``I know her tooth is hurting,'' Sorenstam said. ``For her to play this well today in pretty incredible.''

Sorenstam, as usual, wasn't too shabby.

Even though she already has won 10 times this year on the LPGA Tour _ the most by any player in 34 years _ Sorenstam is playing as though her work is not done.

She was the model of consistency once again, hitting fairways and greens and making her share of putts. That included an 8-foot eagle putt on the third hole that got her going, and a slick 10-footer for birdie on the 16th to cap off a strong start.

It wasn't perfect.

Sorenstam missed only one greens, and continually gave herself good looks at birdie, usually in the 12- to 20-foot range. Her score could have been lower.

The 32-year-old Swede was asked whether she was upset at not making more putts, or happy that she gave herself so many chances.

``It depends on what kind of mood you're in,'' she said. ``I was patient on the front nine, but on the back nine it started to eat a little bit on the inside.''

Still, she was where everyone expected Sorenstam to be in the season-ending event _ on top of her game, and at the top of the leaderboard.

``I don't have any words for her,'' Pak said. ``She the best for a couple of years already. She's such a great player. But at the same time, she helped me to play well, too.''

Defending champion Karrie Webb had a 3-under 69, despite taking bogey on the 18th hole and missing a 2-foot par putt on No. 14. She was joined by good friend Kelly Robbins, Lorie Kane of Canada, Rosie Jones and Patricia Meunier-Lebouc of France.

Beth Bauer, the LPGA rookie of the year, was among those at 70.

The scores were much better than a year ago, when only six players had rounds in the 60s under blustery conditions.

``This is probably as tame as this course will probably be,'' Sorenstam said.

Pak and Mallon were the only players to reach 6-under par. Both bogeyed the 18th hole.

Pak, who made a 20-foot birdie putt to pull ahead of Sorenstam, hit her drive on the closing hole into the rough, knocked her approach into the bunker and then failed to convert the 8-foot par putt.

Mallon's bogey was more unusual, although the same could be said for her round.

Having come up short of the 18th green, her pitch shot hit the pin and bounced 10 feet away, leading to a bogey that cost her the lead. Then again, Mallon could not ignore her eagle on No. 12, when she holed a wedge from 89 yards out of sand-filled divot.

``That's the golf gods for you,'' she said.

Sorenstam's only bogey was a three-putt on No. 14, the trickiest green at the Trump. The rest of the day, she was splitting of the fairway and keeping it close to the cup.

Big surprise there.

``You know she's going to bring her best, which is why she's No. 1,'' Mallon said. ``She's had bad days sometimes, but you can't count on that.''

Pak wasn't sure what to expect.

Her tooth has been a problem for two years, but it flared up again a few weeks ago during the Mizuno Classic, where she tied for third. Her dentist can't help for a couple of weeks, so Pak figured she might as well return to the United States to play in the ADT Championship. Even after a 67 and a share of the lead, her emotions were mixed.

``It's 50-50,'' she said. ``I'm happy ... and then I'm pretty tired.''