By Kim Jae-won
Staff Reporter
Yang, who was relatively unknown when this year’s PGA Championship began, was born on Jeju Island in 1972. He first encountered the sport while working as a part-time ball boy in a golf practice center after graduating from high school in the late 1980s.
His dad did not like the job, and recommended that he learn construction skills for more stable income. He took his dad’s advice, but suffered a knee injury on the job.
Yang went to back to the Ora Country Club in Jeju in 1991 and learned golf by watching the professional players there. Yang practiced during night when no one was around and during the day, he worked as a janitor.
His father, Han-joon, did not like his son’s preoccupation with golf, believing that it was a sport for the rich. The farmer suggested that his son work with him, but the “stubborn” son did not obey him.
Yang even practiced with a green house pipe as he did not have any clubs at the time.
In 1996, Yang passed the Korea Professional Golf Association (KPGA) test and became Rookie of the Year, finishing ninth overall in the money list in 1997. But his total prize money was just 12 million won ($9,600), which was less than the half the average income in Korea at the time ? 27 million won ($21,600).
Five years later, Yang claimed the SBS Championship and then crossed the Korean Straight to challenge in Japan, golf’s biggest stage in Asia.
He passed the Japan Golf Tour qualifying school in 2003, and grabbed four victories there. Three years later, he was thrust into the spotlight for the first time when he held off Woods to clinch the European Tour HSBC Championship in 2006.
He was dubbed as “Tiger Killer,” after he prevented Woods from winning his seventh straight tournament.
Yang won his first PGA Tour event at the Honda Classic in March of this year and then surprised almost everyone with his historic victory on Sunday in the 91st PGA Championship.
"This might be my last win as a golfer,” Yang told AP through an interpreter. “But it sure is a great day.” “Tiger’s good, but he could always have a bad day,” Yang said. “I guess this is one of those days.”
Yang’s parents, who still live on the island, expressed their happiness.
“We feel like flying in the sky. We are so glad. No words can describe my joy,” Yang’s father Han-joon and his mom Ko Heesoon said.
Yang’s parents watched him win on television. “We are so honored that he won the title. I am sorry to him that we could not help him financially because we are poor farmers,” Ko said. “He was a boy who liked to hunt frogs and play outside.”
A few other Asian players came close to winning majors, but all failed. Lu Liang-huan of Taiwan was runner up at the British Open in 1971, one shot behind Lee Trevino of the United States.
Chen Tze-chung of Taiwan challenged at the U.S. Open in 1985, but was second to American Andy North.
Yang’s compatriot Choi Kyoung-ju also threatened many times at the majors, but could never get a win.