Bromance brewing between teammates after reunion

Born three years apart, Doosan Bears catcher Yang Eui-ji and third baseman Heo Kyoung-min played baseball on the same elementary school team. Then as teammates in the Korea Baseball Organization, they enjoyed massive success together, winning Korean Series titles for the Bears in 2015 and 2016. Yang bolted for another club, the NC Dinos, in free agency after the 2018 season. Heo won his third Korean Series ring without Yang in 2019, while Yang took the Dinos to their first title the very next ye

April 12, 2023

Pirates' Choi Ji-man goes deep for 2nd straight game

After going six games without a home run, Choi Ji-man of the Pittsburgh Pirates has now homered in back-to-back games. Batting third as designated hitter, Choi blasted a solo home run off Houston Astros starter Cristian Javier during the bottom of the sixth inning at PNC Park in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. Choi's dinger broke a 2-2 tie, and the Pirates took a 4-2 lead after the sixth inning. At full count, Choi got a 92.2 mph four-seam fastball at the top of the strike zone and drove it 418 feet into

April 12, 2023

S. Korea makes roster change for LPGA intl. team event

South Korea has made a roster change ahead of an eight-country match play competition in women's golf scheduled for May. The LPGA announced Tuesday that South Korea is one of three nations to bring in new players, along with Japan and China, for the 2023 International Crown, which will run from May 4 to 7 at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. Each of the eight countries will be represented by its top four players on the world rankings. And the countries' seedings and their four qualifi

April 12, 2023

Kim Joo-hyung, Im Sung-jae post top-20 finishes at Masters

AUGUSTA -- Two of the four South Korean players in action at the Masters finished inside the top 20 in Augusta, Georgia, on Sunday. Kim Joo-hyung and Im Sung-jae tied for 16th at two-under 286 at Augusta National Golf Club in the season's first major championship. Kim, making his Masters debut, shot a two-under 70 in the final round, with four birdies, one eagle and four bogeys. He did not break 70 in any of his four rounds here. Despite a solid showing, Kim Joo-hyung said he would not ev

April 10, 2023

4 S. Koreans make cut at weather-interrupted Masters

AUGUSTA, United States -- A record four South Korean players made the cut at the Masters, the first major of the men's golf season interrupted by inclement weather. The second round of the tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, was only completed Saturday, after play was halted due to rain and thunderstorms. That forced 39 players to hit the course at 8 a.m. Saturday to finish their second round. When 36 holes were in the books, all four South Koreans in the field s

April 9, 2023

To avoid Masters curse, S. Korean Im Sung-jae takes leisurely stroll at Par 3 Contest

AUGUSTA, United States -- So hard is Im Sung-jae trying to win his Masters title this week that, when he found himself in early contention at the annual Par 3 Contest at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, on Wednesday, the South Korean player decided to stop keeping score. That's because Im was aware of the curse of the Par 3 Contest. The exhibition began in 1960, 26 years after the first Masters, and no winner of the contest has gone on to capture the Masters in the same year.

April 6, 2023

S. Korea secures 2nd seed at LPGA int'l team competition

South Korea has grabbed the second seed in an eight-country match play competition in women's golf set for May. The LPGA Tour unveiled the final standings of the eight countries that qualified for the 2023 International Crown on Monday. South Korea took the second seed behind the United States. The field of eight countries was determined by the combined world ranking positions of the top four players from each country as of Nov. 21, 2022. Those countries' seedings and their four qualif

April 4, 2023

S. Korean Im Sung-jae trying to realize dream of winning Masters

South Korean golfer Im Sung-jae grew up dreaming of winning the Masters and donning the iconic green jacket. With two top-10 finishes in three career appearances at Augusta National Golf Club, Im is hoping that dream will turn into reality this week. "I have a lot of fond memories at the Masters, and I am looking forward to this year's tournament as well," Im said in an interview with the PGA Tour on Monday. The Masters will begin Thursday in Augusta, Georgia. "Hopefully, I c

April 3, 2023

[Photo News] Back on top

Jon Rahm, winner of the 2023 Genesis Invitational, poses for a photo with Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun at the Riviera Country Club in California on Sunday. The Spanish golfer returned to the top spot in the Official World Golf Ranking after his third victory of the still-early PGA tour season.

Feb. 21, 2023

Tiger Woods set to return at Genesis Invitational this week

Tiger Woods is ready to make this season’s PGA Tour debut at the 2023 Genesis Invitational taking place from Thursday to Sunday at the Riviera Country Club in California. Woods, who is making a comeback to an official PGA tour after a seven-month hiatus, will be joined by 19 of the top 20 golfers in the Official World Golf Ranking, including the top-three ranked -- Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and John Rahm. According to Hyundai Motor Group’s premium brand Genesis, a total of 132

Feb. 16, 2023

S. Korean Kim Si-woo earns fourth career PGA Tour win in Hawaii

South Korean Kim Si-woo has collected his fourth career victory on the PGA Tour in Hawaii, rallying from a three-shot deficit to find the winner's circle. Kim shot an 18-under 262 to win the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Sunday. With a final round of six-under 64, Kim held off Hayden Buckley of the United States by one stroke. Kim, world No. 84, began the final round three shots off the lead held by Buckley. But Kim was clutch down the stretch Sunday, w

Jan. 16, 2023

S. Korean Ryu Hae-ran wins LPGA qualifying tournament

South Korean golfer Ryu Hae-ran has won the LPGA Tour qualifying tournament, earning her membership on the world's top women's tour with a flourish. Ryu finished at the top of the LPGA Q-Series, an eight-round marathon that wrapped up at Highland Oaks Golf Club in Dothan, Alabama, on Sunday (local time). She shot a combined 29-under 545, beating Bailey Tardy of the United States by two strokes. Ryu, 21, is the 2020 Korea LPGA Rookie of the Year with five career titles on her home circu

Dec. 12, 2022

[Newsmaker] S. Korean Tom Kim captures 2nd career PGA Tour win in Las Vegas

South Korean youngster Kim Joo-hyung, who goes by English name Tom Kim in the US, has found the winner's circle on the PGA Tour for the second time. Kim held off Patrick Cantlay and Matthew NeSmith, both of the United States, by three strokes at 24-under to win the Shriners Children's Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas on Sunday (local time). Kim outdueled his two American playing partners with the final round score of five-under 66, for the four round total of 260 on the par-71 course. Kim did

Oct. 10, 2022

Genesis golf tournament kicks off in Songdo

A hundred and twenty golfers are competing in the Genesis Championship from Thursday through Sunday at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Songdo, Incheon, for an overall purse of 1.5 billion won ($1.04 million). With one of the biggest purses on the Korean Tour, the 2022 Genesis Championship is the 19th tournament of this year’s KPGA (Korea Professional Golfers’ Association) season. The winner will take home 300 million won and a Genesis GV80, along with sponsored exemptions for the Gen

Oct. 6, 2022

After major championship cameo, LPGA great Sorenstam to cut down on schedule

INCHEON -- LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam took fans of women's golf on a trip down memory lane in June this year, when she played at the US Women's Open for her first LPGA major appearance since 2008. The tournament took place at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club in North Carolina, where Sorenstam had won the second of her three US Women's Open titles. Don't count on the Swede being back at next year's tournament, though. Speaking ahead of a charity event hosted by the Sout

Sept. 27, 2022

S. Korean rookie sparks Internationals' charge at Presidents Cup

South Korean rookie Kim Joo-hyung helped lead a late push by the International Team on the penultimate day of the Presidents Cup, putting pressure on the United States as the match play golf competition heads into the final stretch. Kim, the youngest player in the event at 20, teamed up with countryman Kim Si-woo to defeat Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele 1-up in their afternoon fourball match at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday (local time). It was one of three v

Sept. 25, 2022

[Graphic News] Global golfers aim to ‘shock the world’ at Presidents Cup

　An American squad with 11 of the world's 18 top-ranked players is ready for the Presidents Cup, which begins on Thursday (local time), as huge favorites for a ninth consecutive victory over a depleted Internationals line-up. 　Top-ranked Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, No. 4 Patrick Cantlay, fifth-ranked Tokyo Olympic champion Xander Schauffele and multiple major winners Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth and Collin Morikawa lead the 12-man US team into Quail Hollow. 　They face an International

Sept. 22, 2022

S. Korean Kim Joo-hyung nominated for PGA Tour's top rookie prize

South Korea's Kim Joo-hyung is up for the top rookie award on the PGA Tour, on the strength of a stunning victory in August. The PGA Tour announced three nominees for its Rookie of the Year honor, dubbed the Arnold Palmer Award, on Monday (US time). Kim, 20, has been shortlisted alongside two Americans, Cameron Young and Sahith Theegala. The winner will be determined by votes from PGA Tour members who played in at least 15 official tournaments during the 2021-2022 season. The voting will cl

Sept. 6, 2022

S. Korean rookies blow lead in bid for maiden LPGA win

Having frittered away their final round lead in Canada, South Korean LPGA rookies Choi Hye-jin and An Narin will have to wait longer for their maiden victory. Choi finished tied for second at the CP Women's Open at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club in Ottawa on Sunday (local time), while An ended in a tie for sixth. The two had shared the 54-hole lead at 16-under, but Choi shot a two-under 69 to end at 18-under 266, allowing Paula Reto of South Africa to zip past her for a one-stroke victory with a

Aug. 29, 2022

[Newsmaker] S. Korean Im Sung-jae finishes runner-up at PGA Tour season finale

South Korean Im Sung-jae has just missed out on PGA Tour history, finishing runner-up in the season finale in a bid to become the first Asian champion of the FedEx Cup. Despite a strong late push, Im ended in a tie for second place at the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta on Sunday (local time) at 20-under, one behind the champion, Rory McIlroy. The winner of the Tour Championship, which followed three playoff tournaments, is also crowned the FedEx Cup champion. McIlroy took ho

Aug. 29, 2022