Y.E. Yang
As the prestigious Ballantine’s Championship tees off at the beautiful Blackstone Resort in Seoul this week, the tagline is a timely reminder of the impact that Korean players have made in world of golf.
The Korean golf explosion can be traced back to the days when Kang Wook-soon first ignited the scene in the 1990s.
Kang, nicknamed Hahoetal which means friendly face, was the king of the fairways back then and inked his place in the annals of history by becoming the first Korean to win two Order of Merit crowns in Asia along with seven career titles.
Fast forward a decade and it is the illustrious names of Y.E. Yang and K.J. Choi who are creating the headlines these days. Like Kang, they’ve brought golf in Korea up to unprecedented levels with their successes, first on the Asian Tour and then aboard.
Yang made his name as the first Asian-born player to win a Major with a come-from-behind victory over then world number one Tiger Woods while Choi is the first Korean-born player to earn his PGA Tour card, and also broke into top 10 of the world rankings.
The dynamic duo have been recognised by the Asian Tour for their exemplary achievements and have been accorded the distinguished honorary member status.
"I hope this win will create an impact both to golf in Korea as well as golf in Asia so that all the young golfers, Korean and Asian, would build their dreams and expand their horizons," said Yang in his victory speech after winning the PGA Championship in 2009.
Voted Korean PGA Tour rookie of the year in 1999, Yang honed his game on the Asian Tour where he played regularly from 1999 to 2003 before moving on to Japan where he won five titles.
The strongman eventually followed in the close foot-steps of his close friend Choi by leaving for the United States.
“The Asian Tour opened the door to international competitions for me. I started my playing career on the Korean Tour but I found out through the Asian Tour that there was a high level of competition. There were so much more possibilities for me and I practiced and persevered and I was diligent enough to succeed,” said Yang who will star at the Ballantine’s Championship which is sanctioned by the Asian, European and Korean PGA Tours.
Choi joined the Asian Tour in the mid-1990s and won the Korean Open in 1999 before venturing to Japan. He would later earn his US Tour card from Qualifying School at the end of 1999.
Like Yang, Choi also recognises where the secret of his success lie.
“The Asian Tour set the foundation for my golfing career. Through the opportunity to travel to different countries, I learned about different cultures, playing in different conditions, and these things taught me to be patient,” said Choi, who has won four times on the Asian Tour.
Since its establishment year in 2004 till 2009, the Asian Tour has sanctioned 17 tournaments in Korea close to a total of US$20 million, with pride of place going to the Ballantine’s Championship, inaugurated in 2008 and carrying a lucrative US$2.8 million in total prize money this week.
The opportunities to hone and develop into world-class players on the Asian Tour are endless.
Like the path that his predecessors have taken, it’s now the turn of 19-year old Noh Seung-yul to benefit from the playing opportunities on the Asian Tour.
At 19 years and 204 days, Noh became the youngest ever player to win the prestigious Order of Merit crown last season. Noh rise to the top has also been quick.
Since bursting onto the Asian Tour in 2008 through our Qualifying School, the young Korean has won two titles and played in three Majors through his own merit. In just three years, he has earned over US$1.3 million on the Asian Tour to be ranked in the top-20 of the career earnings list. He is also the youngest player to surpass the million dollar mark in Asia.
The teen titan is touted as the next big star to spearhead the new wave of golfers from the Land of the Morning Calm.
“The Asian Tour has done so much in my career and I am thankful for the opportunities that I have enjoyed since coming through from Qualifying School in 2008. My game has become better over the years through the high level of competition on the Asian Tour and I will continue to represent the Asian Tour proudly,” said Noh.
