K.J. Choi posts second top-five finish on PGA Tour in Feb.

South Korean veteran Choi Kyoung-ju tied for fifth at the Northern Trust Open on the PGA Tour in California on Sunday, the second time he's ranked in the top five on the tour this month.Choi, better known as K.J. Choi in the United States, started out hot before fading away to a two-under 69 in the final round at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, and ended at 12-under 272 for the tournament, tied with Marc Leishman in fifth.Choi, an eight-time PGA Tour winner, is still looki

Feb. 22, 2016

Korean-Japanese Haru Nomura beats Lydia Ko for maiden U.S. LPGA win

Japan's Haru Nomura, an ethnic Korean, won on the U.S. Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour for the first time on Sunday.Nomura won the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open in Grange, South Australia at 16-under 272, beating reigning champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand by three strokes.Nomura, who was born to a Japanese father and a Korean mother, has competed in the LPGA since 2011.Born in Japan and based in Hawaii, she moved to South Korea at the age of 7 and attended middle and high school in

Feb. 21, 2016

Presidents Cup in Korea generates record amount for charities

The PGA Tour announced Thursday the 2015 Presidents Cup held in South Korea generated a record amount of dollars for charitable funds.The biennial match play competition featuring 24 golfers -- a dozen from the United States and a dozen more from the rest of the world excluding Europe -- raised $6.12 million that will be donated to charities soon, topping the previous record of $5.01 million at the 2013 competition.The 2015 Presidents Cup was held last October at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in

Feb. 18, 2016

Golf's new giant slayer hoping for shot at Olympics

After stunning world No. 1 Jordan Spieth with his first professional victory earlier this month, South Korean Song Young-han said Thursday he's hoping for a chance to compete at this year's Summer Olympics.Golf's latest giant slayer made a triumphant return home Thursday after beating Spieth by one shot to win the SMBC Singapore Open on the Asian Tour on Feb. 1."It was an honor to win the tournament by beating the No.1-ranked player. I was fortunate," he told reporters at Incheon International A

Feb. 11, 2016

K.J. Choi falls short of ending PGA Tour drought

South Korean veteran Choi Kyoung-ju fell short of ending his PGA Tour title drought on Monday in California.Choi, better known by his initials K.J., finished alone in second at the weather-interrupted Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California, on Monday. The South Korean stumbled to a four-over 76 in the final round played over two days, with five bogeys and one birdie, to end at five-under 283 for the tournament, one stroke behind the champion Brandt Snedeker.Ch

Feb. 2, 2016

Korean Song Young-han edges out world No. 1 Spieth for Asian Tour title

South Korea's Song Young-han edged out world No. 1 Jordan Spieth to capture his first career Asian Tour title in Singapore on Monday.Song shot a 12-under 272 to claim the weather-delayed SMBC Singapore Open at the par-71 Serapong Course of the Sentosa Golf Club, beating Spieth by one stroke and taking home the $180,000 first-place purse. It was the first professional victory for Song, who turned pro in 2013 and came into the tournament ranked 204th in the world.The final round of play was suspen

Feb. 1, 2016

Park In-bee withdraws from LPGA season opener with back injury

World No. 2 Park In-bee withdrew from the LPGA Tour's season opener on Thursday in the Bahamas with a back injury after shooting her worst round in seven years.Park shot a seven-over 80 at the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic, the worst score in the field of 108 after one round. Park picked up four birdies, but also committed seven bogeys and two double bogeys at the par-73, 6,625-yard Ocean Club Golf Course on Paradise Island.Her Seoul-based agency, Galaxia SM, said Park came down with back pain

Jan. 29, 2016

New LPGA season to kick off in Bahamas; S. Koreans eye another

The 2016 LPGA Tour season will kick off in the Bahamas this week, as the South Korean contingent eyes another dominant year.The $1.4 million Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic will start Thursday at the par-73 Ocean Club Golf Course on Paradise Island, Bahamas. South Korean Kim Sei-young, the tour's reigning Rookie of the Year, is the defending champion.Kim won three times last year, and she was one of eight different South Korean champions who combined for a record 15 wins in 31 tournaments in 2015

Jan. 26, 2016

Hall of Famer, PGA Tour veteran to coach S. Korea at Olympics

Pak Se-ri, an LPGA great and the lone South Korean in the World Golf Hall of Fame, and Choi Kyoung-ju, veteran of eight PGA Tour wins, will be leading the national women's and men's teams at this year's Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.The Korea Golf Association (KGA) on Monday announced Pak and Choi as the coaches for South Korea when golf makes its return to the Olympics after a 112-year absence.Pak, 38, leads all South Koreans with 25 career LPGA Tour victories, a total that includes five ma

Jan. 25, 2016

10-birdie Wi tears it up in Vietnam

HANOI (AFP) -- South Korea's Charlie Wi plundered 10 birdies on his way to nine-under 62 and the first-round lead at the inaugural, $1.5-million Ho Tram Open in Vietnam on Thursday.Wi made five birdies in a row on the front nine, and another five on his way back against just one bogey as he stole the limelight from Spanish star Sergio Garcia at Vietnam's richest sport event.The South Korean leads by two from the Thai pair of teenager Danthai Boonma and the experienced Thaworn Wiratchant, who bot

Dec. 3, 2015

Park In-bee qualifies for LPGA Hall of Fame

South Korean Park In-bee reserved her ticket to the LPGA Hall of Fame on Sunday after winning this season's Vare Trophy awarded to the player with the lowest scoring average.  The world No. 2 hit a final round 3-under 69, earning the final point out of the 27 needed to enter the Hall of Fame.  She will become formally eligible after completing her 10th year on the Tour in 2016. If inducted, Park will be the second South Korean ever to receive the honor after Park Se-ri in 2007.  Meanwhile, South

Nov. 23, 2015

World No. 2 Park In-bee earns 5th LPGA win of '15

South Korean Park In-bee captured her fifth LPGA Tour win of the season in Mexico on Sunday, putting herself in the thick of the race for a major season-ending individual award.Park, world No. 2, claimed the Lorena Ochoa Invitational at 18-under 270, following a bogey-free final round of eight-under 64 at Club de Golf Mexico in Mexico City.Park fended off a red-hot Carlota Ciganda, who came up three shots behind despite a blistering final round of 63.With the victory, Park moved to 270 points in

Nov. 16, 2015

Ahn Sun-ju picks up first LPGA Tour victory in Japan

Korean Ahn Sun-jun picked up her first LPGA Tour victory in Japan on Sunday.Ahn captured the Toto Japan Classic in a three-way playoff over fellow South Korean Lee Ji-hee and Angela Stanford of the United States, taking her US$225,000 in the winner's check.The event was co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour and the LPGA of Japan Tour. Ahn has now won 20 times on the Japanese tour.Ahn, Lee and Stanford ended the regulation tied at 16-under 200 at Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club. Then on the first play

Nov. 8, 2015

World No. 5 Thompson wins LPGA event in S. Korea

World No. 5 Lexi Thompson picked up her second LPGA Tour win of the season in South Korea on Sunday.Thompson shot a final round of three-under 69 to take the US$2 million LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship at 15-under 273 in Incheon, west of Seoul.Former world No. 1 Yani Tseng and Korea LPGA Tour star Park Sung-hyun finished tied for second at 14-under 274 at the only LPGA event held in South Korea each year.Thompson, 20, took home $300,000 in winner's check at the par-72, 6,364-yard Ocean Course a

Oct. 18, 2015

Top two in women's golf to clash in S. Korea

The two best players in women's golf will clash in South Korea this week, as the LPGA Tour makes its annual stop in the country.  World No. 1 Park In-bee of South Korea and No. 2 Lydia Ko of New Zealand will headline the star-studded field in the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship at the Ocean Course of Sky 72 Golf and Resort in Incheon, west of Seoul. The 72-hole event will feature the top 59 players from the LPGA Tour, along with a dozen players from the Korea LPGA Tour.  On the current world ran

Oct. 13, 2015

U.S. wins ninth Presidents Cup in S. Korea

The United States won the Presidents Cup for the ninth time Sunday, defeating the International Team 15 1/2 to 14 1/2 after a nail-biting finish on a chilly afternoon by the Yellow Sea.The Americans grabbed six points out of 12 matches at the par-72, 7,380-yard Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon, just west of Seoul, with five victories and two halves. This was the first Presidents Cup held in Asia.The United States has now won the biennial match play competition nine out of 11 times, with

Oct. 11, 2015

Incheon to host S. Korea's lone LPGA event for three more years

Incheon and KEB Hana Bank on Wednesday signed an agreement to stage the only LPGA Tour event in South Korea for three more years in the western metropolitan city.The LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship started out in 2002 under a different corporate sponsor. It was earlier held on Jeju Island and in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, before settling in at Sky 72 Golf Club in Incheon, adjacent to Incheon International Airport, in 2008.This year's tournament is scheduled for Oct. 15-18 at Sky 72.Und

Sept. 30, 2015

S. Korean golfer Bae Sang-moon apologizes for conscription row

South Korean golfer Bae Sang-moon on Wednesday apologized to his fans for a recent conscription row, saying he will take proper steps to complete his mandatory military service after playing at the upcoming Presidents Cup on home soil.Bae arrived home early Wednesday to prepare for the biennial team competition, where he will be part of the International Team taking on the United States. Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon, west of Seoul, will be Asia's first host of the Presidents Cup from

Sept. 30, 2015