'The Shot' - 25th Year Anniversary of Se Ri Pak's Win at the 1998 U.S. Women's Open
The 6th Annual Awards
- Best Documentary: Long-Form
ABOUT THIS ENTRY
'The Shot' is a documentary celebrating Se Ri Pak's famous shot from the water hazard in the playoff of the 1998 U.S. Women's Open. That shot gave courage to people in Korea during the Asian Financial Crisis, and along with her eventual win, it inspired generations of young girls to start golf.
How does this represent “Excellence in Engagement”?
‘The Shot’ is a timeless content piece that can be viewed decades later and still be relevant. We haven’t done a long-form piece like this in the past and we believe this documentary is just the beginning for our organization to produce significant content like this in the future.
The documentary was well-received by fans all over the world and across all ages. It successfully engaged fans globally, bridging the gap between older fans nostalgic for golf in the 1990s and 2000s and younger fans who see Pak as a legendary figure.
The success of the planning, executing and delivery of ‘The Shot’ is only the beginning for us to produce more engaging and moving content in the future.
Objective
Se Ri Pak’s shot with her feet in the water hazard at the 1998 U.S. Women’s Open changed women’s golf and the social landscape surrounding the sport. ‘The Shot’—which pays homage to her legendary barefoot shot from the water on the 18th hole of the Monday playoff—celebrates Pak and her legacy, as described by Se Ri and the people she inspired along the way.
Her victory marked the first time an Asian player won the prestigious championship, paving the way for generations of golfers to follow in her footsteps and achieve their dream of playing professional golf. There was even a group of golfers dubbed “The Se Ri Kids,” who were inspired by ‘The Shot’ to become professional golfers. In 1998, Asia was in the throes of a devastating financial crisis and Pak’s shot and victory gave people hope and courage that any obstacles can be overcome.
Published on July 5, 2023, exactly 25 years after ‘The Shot,’ the documentary conveys the significance and the lasting impact her water hazard shot and victory has had on women’s golf, the LPGA, Korea and Asia. We highlight her influence on today’s pro golfers and Pal’s impact on junior golfers worldwide.
Strategy & Execution
The strategy planning began in the winter of 2022. With the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open week falling on the same week as the 1998 championship in the first week of July, we knew commemorating Pak’s famous shot and win was essential leading up to the 2023 championship.
While gathering old footage of Pak to use in the documentary, we set up interviews with former and current players to speak on the impact of her famous shot. Pak came from Korea to visit the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown tournament held in San Francisco, where she had a chance to meet some of the players she competed with such as sisters Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn. Organic encounters like that naturally led to interviews that the Jutanugarns gave after their win for the documentary, giving another layer to ‘The Shot.’
We also pitched the documentary to multiple media outlets, like the Sports Business Journal and various Korean media, which built anticipation and excited before the release.
Premiering on YouTube with strategic teaser videos on social platforms, the documentary gained organic traction through shares by players like Pak, Michelle Wie West, and others that helped reach a bigger audience.
Organizations
- Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA)
Links
Featured
- Se Ri Pak
- Hye-Jin Choi
- Na Yeon Choi
- In Gee Chun
- Hee Won Han
- Eun-Hee Ji
- Ariya Jutanugarn
- Moriya Jutanugarn
- Hyo Joo Kim
- Jin Young Ko
- So Yeon Ryu
Credits
David Kim
Manager, International Content
LPGA
Jeongwoo Seo
Specialist, Integrated Content
LPGA
Kevin Kim
Video Editor/Producer
https://www.kevinkimasia.com/
JB Letchinger
Video Editor
https://www.jblfilms.com/
Sandi Higgs
Vice President, Creative Brand Management
LPGA
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