Yang Yong-eun Gains PGA Tour Card for 2008

Yang Yong-eun (35, Taylormade) has finally realized his dream of playing in the PGA.

On December 4 at the Orange County National`s Crooked Cat course in Winter Garden, Florida (72 par) Yang came in 6th (20-under-par 412) in round 6 of the qualifying round. After failing to make the cut last time, Yang became a seeded player for the 2008 PGA tour. It is an honor and privilege only the top 25 golfers in the qualifying rounds receive.

“It’s been a long tough road, but it was well worth it.”

Aptly put. Those few words speak volumes in terms of the incredibly tough journey Yang has had to endure to reach where he stands today.

Born in Jeju, this former body builder crossed paths with golf while working as a ball picker at a driving range after graduating from high school.

In 1996 he joined the local tour, but poverty proved to be a greater challenge than he imagined. While enduring hardships while living in a 150,000-won-a-month basement flat, he never gave up his dreams of becoming a pro.

His dedication slowly bore fruit as he won numerous local tours and even won four tours in Japan. Last year, Yang beat superstars like Tiger Woods to name a few to win the HSBC Championships. After continuing his winning ways in the European tour, he finally earned the title of a full-fledged PGA golfer Tuesday.

Yang said, “I just want to continue to play in the PGA for as long as I can.”

Yang became the 6th Korean player to make the PGA tour along with Choi Kyung-ju (Nike Golf) and Wie Chang-soo (Taylormade).

Choi Kyung-ju once said, “I look forward to the day I’ll be able to chat with a fellow Korean competitor in the PGA.” Upon hearing news of Yang coming down with a muscle ache in his back, Choi immediately sent his personal trainer to provide two hours of massage sessions daily, and even personally called Yang to congratulate him on becoming a PGA golfer. Korean American golfer Jin Park (30) came in 4th (22-under-par 410) and qualified to play in the PGA tour along with Na Sang-wook and Anthony Kim.

kjs0123@donga.com