Family affair: Lee Kyoung-hoon celebrates 2nd career PGA Tour win in front of baby daughter, parents

On May 16, 2021, South Korean golfer Lee Kyoung-hoon picked up his first career PGA Tour title at AT&T Byron Nelson in Texas, with his pregnant wife, Yu Joo-yeon, watching. Almost exactly one year later, on Sunday, Lee defended his trophy at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas. This time, Lee did so with the newest member of his family, the 10-month-old daughter Celine Yu-na, and also his mother and father on hand. "It's an amazing feeling. It still feels like a dream," Lee, 30, sai

May 16, 2022

S. Korean Lee Kyoung-hoon defends PGA Tour title in Texas

South Korean Lee Kyoung-hoon has successfully defended a PGA Tour title in Texas, holding off former world No. 1 Jordan Spieth for his second career victory. Lee shot a bogey-free round of nine-under 63 in the final round of the AT&T Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, on Sunday (local time). Lee's day featured seven birdies and an eagle. At 26-under 262, Lee beat Spieth by one stroke. Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, the 2021 Masters champion, was another stroke back at 24-under.

May 16, 2022

Im Sung-jae notches 2nd-career top-10 finish at Masters

Im Sung-jae tied for eighth place at the Masters on Sunday, earning his second-career top-10 finish at the season's first major championship following an up-and-down final round. Im shot a three-over 75 on Sunday to end up at one-over 287 overall at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on Sunday (local time). Im ended up nine shots behind the winner, Scottie Scheffler of the United States, after recording six bogeys and three birdies. This was Im's worst score over four days at the fa

April 11, 2022

S. Korea's winless streak at LPGA majors reaches 6

South Korea's LPGA major championship drought has now reached six tournaments. Jennifer Kupcho of the United States enjoyed a two-shot victory at the Chevron Championship, after shooting 14-under 274 at Mission Hills Country Club's Dinah Shore Tournament Course in Rancho Mirage, California, on Sunday (local time). Kim Hyo-joo was the highest-ranked South Korea, as she tied for eighth place at eight-under 280. Rookie Choi Hye-jin and 12-time winner Kim Sei-young were next. They tied for 17th at f

April 4, 2022

World No. 1 Ko Jin-young seeking 3rd career LPGA major in California

Ko Jin-young, world No. 1 in women's golf from South Korea, will be California dreaming this week, as she chases her third career LPGA major title. Ko, the reigning LPGA Player of the Year and money leader, will be among the favorites to capture the Chevron Championship, which starts Thursday (local time) at the Dinah Shore Tournament Course of Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. Ko won this tournament in 2019, and this will be the final time the event will take place at M

March 30, 2022

S. Korean rookie An Narin comes up shy of maiden LPGA win

South Korean rookie An Narin will have to wait for at least another tournament for her maiden LPGA title, after just missing the playoff in her third start of the season. An finished the JTBC Classic in third place at 15-under 273 at Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad, California, on Sunday (local time). She ended up one shot out of the playoff between Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark and Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand. An, a former Korean tour player, won the LPGA qualifying tournament in December to ea

March 28, 2022

Teen wins KYGA youth golf tournament

Hyunkyung Jeong, an 11th grader at the Chadwick International School, has won the KYGA 17th Ballon Blanc National Youth Golf Tournament hosted by the Korea Youth Golf Association last week. Jeong, also known as Ellena, ranked first with a 1-under par in the tournament held at the Baekje Country Club in South Chungcheong Province on March 14-15. Her win is more meaningful considering she had pulled through windy and foggy weather conditions during the tournament, the association said. Jeong

March 20, 2022

World rankings to determine S. Korean golf teams at Asian Games

With professionals allowed in the Asian Games golf tournament for the first time this year, South Korea will use world ranking positions to pick its pros for the competition. The Korea Golf Association (KGA) said Thursday that amateur spots will be filled through trials scheduled for next month. At the Sept. 10-25 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, the men's golf tournament will feature four players per team for men and three players per side for women. The KGA had announced in January that the m

Feb. 24, 2022

PGA Tour's Im Sung-jae looking to crack top 20 in world rankings in 2022

At No. 26, Im Sung-jae is the top South Korean in the men's world golf rankings. And the two-time PGA Tour winner wants to move even higher in the new year. "I will try to take it step by step and stay inside the top 20," Im said Wednesday in an online interview with South Korean media. He is in Hawaii to prepare for the Sentry Tournament of Champions, which starts Thursday, as the first event of 2022. Im reached a career-high 16th in the rankings in February last year but dropped to

Jan. 5, 2022

LPGA Player of the Year Ko Jin-young hungry for more glory

After just four seasons on the LPGA Tour, South Korean star Ko Jin-young has already accomplished more than what most other golfers would love to achieve in their entire careers. But Ko, 26, isn't yet satisfied. In a Zoom press conference with the South Korean media Monday, Ko said she feels she still has so much room for improvement. If Ko can somehow get better after an outstanding 2021 season, in which she won the Player of the Year award and the money title thanks to a tour-best five vict

Dec. 27, 2021

S. Korean An Narin wins LPGA qualifying tournament

South Korean golfer An Narin has captured her LPGA Tour card with a flourish, winning the grueling qualifying tournament by shooting the best score in the field on the final day. An finished in first place at the LPGA Q-Series, an eight-round marathon that wrapped up at Highland Oaks Golf Club in Dothan, Alabama, on Sunday (local time). An, a two-time Korea LPGA (KLPGA) winner, carded a six-under 66, with seven birdies against one bogey, in the final round to finish at 33-under 541 overall. Th

Dec. 13, 2021

KLPGA star Choi Hye-in among 5 S. Koreans to survive 1st cut in LPGA qualifying event

South Korean tour star Choi Hye-jin has made the initial cut at the LPGA Tour's qualifying tournament in Alabama. Choi, a three-time Korea LPGA (KLPGA) Tour Player of the Year, was one of five South Koreans to finish inside the top 70 and ties after the first phase of the LPGA Q-Series concluded in Mobile, Alabama, on Sunday (local time). After the first 72 holes, Choi is in second place at 17-under 269, two strokes back of Pauline Roussin-Bouchard of France. Another KLPGA player, An Narin, i

Dec. 6, 2021

S. Korean Lim Hee-jeong takes 54-hole lead at home LPGA tournament

After her third consecutive bogey-free round, South Korean tour star Lim Hee-jeong is on the verge of her maiden LPGA victory on home soil. Lim, a four-time Korea LPGA (KLPGA) winner, opened up a four-stroke lead through 54 holes at the BMW Ladies Championship on Saturday in Busan, some 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Lim, who collected seven birdies en route to a 65 at the par-72 LPGA International Busan, leads the 84-player field at 18-under. World No. 2 Ko Jin-young and another KLPGA p

Oct. 23, 2021

S. Korean Im Sung-jae captures 2nd career PGA Tour title

Powered by a blistering final round, South Korean Im Sung-jae has captured his second career PGA Tour title. Im won the Shriners Children's Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas on Sunday (local time), after pouring in nine birdies in a bogey-free final round of 62. By finishing at 24-under 260, Im will cash in a winner's check of $1.26 million. Im, the 2018-19 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, picked up his first title at the Honda Classic in March 2020. He joins Choi Kyoung-ju, Yang Yong-eun, Bae Sa

Oct. 11, 2021

Ko Jin-young captures 3rd LPGA title of 2021 in record-tying fashion

World No. 2 Ko Jin-young has found the LPGA winner's circle for the third time in 2021, while also tying a scoring record held by a legend and making a late-season push for the Player of the Year award. Ko went wire-to-wire to capture the Cognizant Founders Cup at the par-71 Mountain Ridge Country Club in West Caldwell, New Jersey, on Sunday (local time). After shooting a five-under 66, Ko finished at 18-under 266, four strokes better than Caroline Masson of Germany. This was Ko's 14th consecu

Oct. 11, 2021

Korean K.J. Choi wins PGA's senior golf tour event

Veteran Choi Kyoung-ju has won a PGA Tour Champions tournament, becoming the first Korean golfer to win a men's professional senior golf tour event. Choi, affectionately known as K.J. Choi, shot a final round of 68, with five birdies and one bogey, for a total of 13-under 203 at the PGA TOUR Champions PURE Insurance Championship held at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California, on Sunday (US time). It is the first victory for a Korean golfer at the PGA Tour Champions, formerly known a

Sept. 27, 2021

S. Korean Im Sung-jae sets PGA Tour record for most birdies in a season

With five birdies in the final round of the 2020-2021 PGA Tour season, South Korean golfer Im Sung-jae has broken a scoring record that stood for 21 years. Im sank a 21-foot putt for a birdie on the second hole during the closing round of the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta on Sunday (local time). It was Im's 494th birdie, helping him eclipse the previous record of 493 birdies by Steve Flesch in 2000. The tour began tracking records in 1980. Im finished with

Sept. 6, 2021

[Weekender] Young players breathe new life into golf

Five months after taking up the sport, Kim Arum finds herself more frequently at golf ranges -- real or virtual -- than at restaurants or cafes. She often hangs out with friends on the green, practices almost every other day at an indoor golf studio after work and splurges on golf hats, golf shirts and pants. It has become her favorite pastime these days, said Kim, who works at a TV station in Seoul. While many indoor sports suffered a blow from the virus crisis, this particular one has foun

Aug. 28, 2021

S. Koreans suffer 1st LPGA major shutout in 11 years

File this under "something you don't see very often in sports." South Korean golfers have been shut out at LPGA majors this year, the first time that's happened since 2010. Kim Sei-young ended the AIG Women's Open at Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland in a tie for 13th on Sunday (local time). She was tied for eighth after 54 holes at six-under par but finished her tournament at the same score after an up-and-down 72 in the final round. The country has been a dominant force in women's

Aug. 23, 2021

Kim Sei-young ties for 13th at LPGA season's final major

Kim Sei-young finished tied for 13th at the final major tournament of the 2021 LPGA season in Scotland, leaving South Korea without a major champion for the first time in 11 years. Kim shot an even-par round of 72 at the AIG Women's Open at Carnoustie Golf Links in Carnoustie, Scotland, on Sunday (local time). With a four-round total of six-under 282, Kim ended in 13th place with six others. Anna Nordqvist of Sweden won the championship at 12-under 276. Kim started the final round at six-under

Aug. 23, 2021