Date: January 29, 2008
Author: Angus Morgan

Honeymoon over for Birdie?

One of the drawcards of the MFS Australian Open, 2005 US Open winner Birdie Kim, has been stranded in New Zealand on her honeymoon. The South Korean missed Tuesday&aposs Pro-Am at Kingston Heath due to complications with her visa. The Executive Chairman of the Australian Opens, Paul McNamee, was optimistic however that Kim would arrive in Melbourne on Tuesday evening. “Apparently her papers weren&apost right,” McNamee said. “I think her passport did not have enough time on it to visit Australia.” Kim has been honeymooning in New Zealand with her new husband in the lead-up to the new season. The 26-year-old, who changed her first name to Birdie in 2004 in an effort to distinguish herself from several other Korean golfers named Kim, has been drawn to partner Nikki Garrett and Paula Marti in Thursday&aposs opening round at Kingston Heath.