Na Yeon Choi celebrates after clinching her first major victory at the 2012 U.S. Women's Open.
(CNN) -- When Se Ri Pak won the U.S. Women's Open in 1998, she could not have imagined the impact it would have on the golfing world.
Then 20 years old, and the only South Korean on the LPGA Tour, Pak won a titanic 20-hole playoff to claim her second major title in her rookie season.
She had won the LPGA Championship earlier that year, but it was her success at Blackwolf Run that triggered a phenomenal boom in female golfing talent in both her home country and Asia in general.
Four of the last five U.S. Women's Open champions have been from Korea, most recently Na Yeon Choi -- who on Sunday clinched her first major title with a four-shot victory over compatriot Amy Yang at the same course in Kohler, Wisconsin where Pak inspired so many dreams.
"That was 14 years ago. I was only 10 years old and when I was watching TV, my goal was ... my dream was like I just want to be there," Choi said on the LPGA website.
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"And 14 years later I'm here right now, and I made it. My dream's come true. I really appreciate what Se Ri did and all the Korean players, what they did. It's really no way I can be here without them.
"I really wish like 14 years later from now some junior golfer or some young Korean golfer says, 'I was watching on TV how Na Yeon was playing 14 years ago and that inspired me."
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Pak was there to congratulate Choi, having overcome shoulder problems to take her place in the starting field -- 29 of which were Korean.
The five-time major winner wrapped up a round of one-under 71, which was good enough for a tie for ninth, as Choi was playing at the adjacent ninth hole.
"I'm trying to give her a little look back, but I don't want her to lose her focus, so I'm trying to not give her a look," Pak said.
"But you know, she's already been there many times. She won five times (on the LPGA Tour) already, and of course, this is a little different than a regular event, but she's good enough to be out there, she hung in there."
Choi needed to hold her nerve after a triple-bogey at the 10th cut her lead to two shots, and responded with an immediate birdie before a 20-foot par-saving putt at 12 and some lucky bounces off rocks to avoid the water hazard at 13.
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Fifteen-year-old Lydia Ko is the youngest LPGA Tour winner in history courtesy of her win at the Canadian Women's Open. She was just 14 when she triumphed at the the New South Wales Open in January 2012, becoming the youngest player to win a professional tournament. She clinched the U.S. Amateur Championship two weeks ago.
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"That moment (the triple-bogey) maybe I thought I might screw up today, but I thought I needed to fix that. I can do it," Choi said.
"So I tried to think what I have to do. So I started to talk with my caddie about just like what airplane tomorrow, or about the car or about the vacation. Not golf."
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The top 10 featured just three American players, as 2010 winner Paula Creamer tied for seventh with Japan's Mika Miyazoto while 2007 champion Cristie Kerr and Nicole Castrale were alongside Pak on four over for the tournament.
Germany's Sandra Gal claimed third ahead of South Korea's Ilhee Lee, LPGA Championship winner Shanshan Feng of China and Italy's Giulia Sergas in fourth equal.
Defending champion So Yeon Ru of Korea was tied for 14th in a group including 17-year-old American Lexi Thompson, who was seeking to become the youngest winner of a major in either the men's or women's game.
She had been tied for third after 54 holes, but closed with 78 -- a better closing round might have made her a winner 10 days younger than Tom Morris when he triumphed at the British Open in 1868.
Former U.S. teen prodigy Michelle Wie faded from 13th going into the final round to a tie for 35th after carding 80.
She was a shot ahead of a group including 15-year-old Korea-born New Zealander Lydia Ko, who was the top amateur in 39th equal. Ko became the youngest player to win a professional tournament in January when still 14.
The world's top-ranked player, Yani Tseng of Taiwan, finished equal 50th alongside veteran former No. 1 Karrie Webb after carding a second successive 78.
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The South Korean was sprayed with champagne after her four-stroke win at Blackwolf Run.
She was congratulated by compatriot Se Ri Pak, left, who inspired a new generation of Korean golfers when she won the same tournament at the same venue in 1998.
Korea-born New Zealander Lydia Ko was the leading amateur as she tied for 39th, at the age of 15.
World No. 1 Yani Tseng of Taiwan finished tied for 50th after successive rounds of 78 in the only one of the four major tournaments she has yet to win.
Tiger Woods of the United States waves to the crowd on the 18th green.
Webb Simpson hits his tee shot on the 13th hole of the 112th U.S. Open.
Jim Furyk of the United States tees off on the eighth hole Sunday.
Michael Thompson of the United States lines up a putt on the 18th hole.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland waits on the seventh green.
Jim Furyk of the United States reacts to a poor shot on the 12th hole.
Webb Simpson of the United States hits his tee shot on the eighth hole.
Tiger Woods walks to the eighth tee Sunday.
Graeme McDowell hits his second shot on the sixth hole.
Lee Westwood of England, left, and Fredrik Jacobson of Sweden walk off the fourth tee.
Jason Dufner of the United States watches his tee shot on the fourth hole.
Fredrik Jacobson smiles from the green on Sunday.
Jim Furyk hits his tee shot on the sixth hole.
Tiger Woods walks to the eighth tee on Sunday.
Ernie Els of South Africa reacts to a missed putt.
Fredrik Jacobson of Sweden plays a bunker shot on the second hole.
Jim Furyk of the United States hits his tee shot on the second hole.
Tiger Woods of the United States watches his tee shot on the third hole.
Tiger Woods hits a bunker shot on the first hole on Sunday.
Sergio Garcia of Spain tees off at the third hole.
Michael Thompson of the United States hits his tee shot on the third hole.
Amateur Beau Hossler of the United States hits his second shot on the first hole Sunday.
Jim Furyk of the United States plays a bunker shot on the second hole during the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday, June 16.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland hits a bunker shot on the fifth hole during the third round.
Tiger Woods watches his tee shot on the fourth hole during the third round.
Charlie Wi of South Korea hits his tee shot on the 17th hole during the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday.
Raphael Jacquelin of France hits a bunker shot on the 17th hole during the third round.
Amateur Beau Hossler of the United States walks to the 18th green with his caddie, Bill Schellenberg.
John Peterson of the United States celebrates a hole-in-one on the 13th hole with his caddie, Gentry Mangun.
Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium hits his tee shot on the third hole Saturday.
Amateur Beau Hossler of the United States waits on the seventh hole Saturday.
Kevin Na of the United States reacts to a missed birdie putt on the seventh hole.
Ernie Els of South Africa plays a bunker shot on the seventh hole during the third round.
Ernie Els of South Africa hits his tee shot on the seventh hole during the third round.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland waits on the eighth green during the third round.
Michael Thompson of the United States hits his tee shot on the eighth hole during the third round.
Charl Schwartzel of South Africa hits a shot during the third round.
David Toms of the United States hits a shot on the fifth hole Saturday.
Tiger Woods of the United States reaches for a golf ball on the practice ground.
Lee Westwood of England celebrates his birdie putt on the 18th hole Saturday.
Tiger Woods of the United States walks off the third tee during the second round of the U.S. Open on Friday, June 15.
Tiger Woods climbs out of a bunker on the sixth hole during the second round.
Tiger Woods of the United States lines up a putt.
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson walk past one another during the second round.
David Toms of the United States hits his tee shot on the eighth hole.
Phil Mickelson walks off the eighth green.
Amateur Beau Hossler of the United States hits his tee shot on the seventh hole.
Beau Hossler celebrates a birdie on the seventh green.
Caddie Scott Gneiser watches David Toms of the United States line up a shot during the second round.
Beau Hossler hits his tee shot on the sixth hole.
Beau Hossler greets fans on the seventh hole.
Tiger Woods walks off the 18th green.
Tiger Woods plays a bunker shot on the 16th hole.
Tiger Woods hits his tee shot on the eighth hole.
Tiger Woods hits a shot on the 16th hole.
Tiger Woods, left, and Bubba Watson of the United States wait on the first tee during the second round of the 112th U.S. Open on Friday.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland walks off the eighth green during the second round.
Luke Donald of England walks up a fairway with a group of caddies during the second round.
Justin Rose of England hits a shot during the second round of the 112th U.S. Open on Friday.
Golfers play the eighth hole during the second round.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland plays a shot on the 15th hole.
Jim Furyk of the United States watches his tee shot on the 10th hole during the second round.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits a shot from a bunker on the 10th hole during the second round of the 112th U.S. Open.
Justin Rose of England hits an approach shot on the fourth hole.
Matt Kuchar of the United States watches his tee shot Friday on the third hole as Ian Poulter of England and Steve Stricker of the United States look on with their caddies.
Casey Martin drives a golf cart off the first hole during the first round of the 112th U.S. Open on Thursday.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits his second shot on the second hole during the first round of the 112th U.S. Open on Thursday.
Rickie Fowler of the United States hits his tee shot on the 13th hole during the first round.
Ian Poulter of England lines up a putt during the first round.
Hunter Mahan of the United States plays a bunker shot on the 17th hole during the first round.
Sergio Garcia of Spain watches his tee shot on the first hole during the first round.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland hits a shot on the first hole.
Lee Westwood of England hits his tee shot on the fourth hole as a gallery of fans look on.
Ryo Ishikawa of Japan hits his tee shot on the tenth hole.
Matt Kuchar of the United States watches his tee shot on the first hole.
Michael Thompson hits his tee shot on the 18th hole during the first round.
David Toms watches a tee shot on the second hole during the first round.
Michael Thompson of the United States reacts to a putt during the first round.
Michael Thompson hits his tee shot on the second hole during the first round.
Tiger Woods watches his approach shot on the 18th hole during the first round .
Ireland's Padraig Harrington watches a shot during the first round.
Bubba Watson plays a shot on the second hole during the first round.
From left, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson wait on the 13th tee during the first round.The trio teed off together in what many called a "super group."
Woods tees off on the 10th hole Thursday.
Mickelson blasts out of the bunker on the 10th hole.
Fans watch the play during the first round of the U.S. Open.
J.B. Park of South Korea walks off the second tee during the first round.
Spectators watch as Mickelson heads up the hill to the tee on the ninth hole.
Surrounded by spectators, Woods watches a shot on the 18th tee.
Mickelson takes a shot on the 18th hole.
Woods, who was leading his group, hits his tee shot on the 13th hole Thursday.
Andy Zhang, a 14-year-old originally from China, hits a bunker shot on the second hole.
Kevin Na hits a shot to the 18th green.
Mickelson and Woods wait on the 11th green.
Mickelson reacts after his putt on the ninth hole Thursday.
In 2010, just a couple of months after winning the U.S. Open, Creamer flew in an F-16 fighter jet with Kristin Hubbard of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds at the Air Force Reserve Base in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Creamer celebrates her 2010 U.S. Open win with her parents, Paul and Karen. Her dad was a Navy pilot for 22 years and will help in her new project to support the wives and families of soliders.
Creamer's favorite color is pink and she can often be seen sporting a U.S. flag on her shirt. She wore a pin on her lapel the entire time her cousin was on a tour of duty in Iraq.
Guan Tian-Lang, 13, made history as the youngest player at a European Tour event when he teed off at his home China Open in April 2012.
However, he could not better the achievement of Jason Hak, who was 14 when he became the youngest player to make the halfway cut at a European Tour event at the 2008 Hong Kong Open.
Thompson is the youngest player to win on the European Ladies' Tour. Here she receives her trophy at the Dubai Ladies Masters on December 17, 2011.
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