August 25, 2003

RECORD NUMBER OF FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS ON PACE TO PLAY IN SAMSUNG WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE WOODLANDS RESORT, OCTOBER 6-12

There Might be as Many as 14 International Stars in Elite 20-Player Field

The Woodlands, Texas - A record number of foreign-born players are likely to be in the elite 20-player field when the Samsung World Championship is played, Oct. 6-12, at the Tournament Players Course (TPC™) at Woodlands Resort.

In an event in which Americans have dominated with 17 victories in 22 Championships, the balance has tilted decidedly in favor of international stars in recent years. That trend is likely to continue this year because a record 14 foreign-born players would be eligible to compete in the $800,000 Championship if the entries closed this week.

The record for international players in the Championship field is 12, set in 1999 and equaled in 2002. There were 11 foreign-born golfers in the field in 2000 and 2001. International players outnumbered Americans for the first time in 1998 when nine of the 16 players in the Championship field were from outside the United States.

The only players to qualify thus far are Sweden's Annika Sorenstam (defending champion, 2002 Vare Trophy winner, 2002 LPGA leading money winner, 2003 McDonald's LPGA Championship and 2003 Weetabix Women's British Open), France's Patricia Meunier-Lebouc (2003 Kraft Nabisco Championship) and American Hilary Lunke (2003 U.S. Women's Open). Three more international players will be selected as the leading players from the Ladies European Tour (LET), the Japanese Tour (JLPGA) and the Korean Tour (KLPGA) are announced in the next few weeks.

The remaining 14 players will come from the leading money winners on the current LPGA Tour. In addition to Sorenstam (No. 1) and Meunier-Lebouc (No. 8), the following nine international players are currently among the leading money winners: Se Ri Pak (Korea, No. 2) Grace Park (Korea, No. 3), Hee-Won Han (Korea, No. 5), Lorena Ochoa (Mexico, No. 6), Candie Kung (Taiwan, No. 9), Rachel Teske (Australia, No. 10), Lorie Kane (Canada, No. 14), Karrie Webb (Australia, No. 15), and Becky Morgan (England, No. 18). Besides Lunke (No. 12), the U.S.-born players among the leading money winners are: Juli Inkster (No. 4), Rosie Jones (No. 7), Beth Daniel (No. 11), Angela Stanford (No. 13), Meg Mallon (No. 16), Cristie Kerr (No. 17), Michele Redman (No. 19) and Wendy Ward (No. 20).

Inkster, a three-time winner of the Samsung Championship, believes the foreign domination is merely part of a cycle that can change at any time.

"Annika and Se Ri are the best players and will be until we catch them," Inkster said. "I look at all the girls and the young kids out there and I think some of them will become the next great players."

During the early years of the Championship, Japan's Ayako Okamoto was the only international player to have an impact. She finished second in 1982 and 1983, then became the first foreign-born player to win the Championship in 1987.

Sweden's Liselotte Neumann almost became the second international player to win when she finished second to Rosie Jones in 1988. The real breakthrough though came in 1995 when Sorenstam and England's Laura Davies gave the internationals a 1-2 finish. Sorenstam, fellow Swede Helen Alfredsson and Pak gave the foreign contingent a 1-2-3 sweep in 1996. Pak (1999) and Sorenstam (2002) have been international winners in recent years.

The 72-hole Championship is an officially sanctioned LPGA Tour event featuring 20 of the top women players in the world. It is a world-wide event, which has been contested on five continents in its rich 22-year history. It will be broadcast on NBC on Saturday and Sunday, with ESPN providing early round coverage on Thursday and Friday.

The winner of the Championship will earn $167,500. In 2002, Sorenstam broke the Championship scoring record by shooting a 22-under par 266 at Hiddenbrooke Golf Club in Vallejo, Calif., to defeat Cristie Kerr by six strokes (also a Championship record).

The elite field will be well-tested at the TPC™ at The Woodlands Resort, a par-72 course that measures 7,018 yards from the back tees. TPC™ at The Woodlands Resort, which had been the home of the PGA TOUR's Shell Houston Open for the past 17 years, is a picturesque course that places a premium on hitting fairways. The two closing holes on the layout rank among the top-four toughest holes in the state of Texas.

For sponsorship, volunteer or general information about the Samsung World Championship, call the championship office, locally at 281-419-4141 or toll free at 1-888-345-LPGA (5742). Or visit the championship website at www.samsung.com. Tickets are currently on sale to the public.

About Samsung

Samsung is a world leader in electronics, finance, and trade and services. Headquartered in Korea, Samsung is a world leader in electronics, finance, and trade and services. The company employs approximately 175,000 people worldwide, with 2002 net sales of US $116.8 billion.

Samsung believes that sports play a unique role in unifying people regardless of age, race, or gender. Samsung is a passionate supporter and active corporate sponsor of amateur and professional sporting events, training programs, teams and individual athletes in Korea and around the world.

The company extended its commitment to sports by becoming a worldwide Olympic Partner of the International Olympic Committee in 1997. Samsung's official Olympic Games partnership will continue with the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

For more information, please visit our website: www.samsung.com.

About The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center

Nestled in pristine woods 27 miles north of Houston and just 20 minutes from George Bush Intercontinental Airport, The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center is an award-winning, multi-faceted resort that features 490 deluxe rooms and suites, unique restaurants and lounges, plus more than 60,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including 32 dedicated meeting rooms. Recreational activities are highlighted by the new Forest Oasis Waterscape(tm), two additional pools, a full service spa and fitness center as well as six golf courses. For further information, contact The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center: 2301 North Millbend Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77380; Telephone: 800-433-2624; Fax: 281-364-6299; Web site: www.woodlandsresort.com.

About The Woodlands

The Woodlands is a 27,000-acre forested community where people live, work, play, and learn as families and companies. Located 27 miles north of downtown Houston on I-45, it encompasses seven residential villages with an eighth now in development, three commercial centers, a resort and conference center, a luxury hotel and convention center, hospitals and health care facilities, and exceptional shopping, dining, entertainment, and recreational amenities. More than 70,000 people live in The Woodlands, and 30,000 people work in the community. The Woodlands is a project of The Woodlands Operating Company, L.P., a Crescent Real Estate Equities and Morgan Stanley limited partnership. For more information, visit www.thewoodlands.com, or call 1-888-504-5050.