By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
Yang Yong-eun, better known simply as Y.E. Yang, is the only Asian-born golfer in PGA Tour history to win a major, claiming the title at the PGA Championship last August.
In addition, the South Korean also has another description, possibly more brilliant, that he has been the sole player to take down Tiger Woods, who had been unbeaten in 14 majors when entering the final round with a lead until then.
But despite bagging the valuable title and building his reputation, the 38-year-old thinks that he is still a golfer who tries to play up to his own expectations.
``Well, it (winning the PGA Championship) was quite hectic at first, but it has since calmed down now and it seems that I am back to my normal routine,'' Yang said in an interview with the Asian Tour, which exclusively contributed to The Korea Times.
``There are certainly a lot more people out there who recognize me. I was at the NBA All-Star Game recently and some people actually came up to me during half time and asked for autographs and pictures, so that was weird but gratifying at the same time.''
Right after the triumph, he became one of the most sought-after figures in Korea, as he received a congratulatory call from President Lee Myung-bak and a lot of events celebrating his achievement took place.
"Well, I want to keep the wins coming, but as you know, winning on the PGA Tour or anywhere isn't easy. Just because you have won a major doesn't suddenly escalate your talent. It is merely an achievement that is quite precious to me, but it doesn't win me any more tournaments or count as multiple wins. And with that, there is added pressure that I need to brush off casually and keep my mental game as it was 10 to 15 years ago."
The Jeju native, who dreamed of being a body builder, started playing golf at age 19, working at a local driving range and taught himself by watching videotapes of Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus, which he thinks was instrumental in his early years.
"My first coach was Nick Faldo. And then it was Jack Nicklaus. They were easy to afford really. Their instructional videos cost only about $2 for three days rental. Sometimes, I would have them teach me for hours till I got blisters. I especially thank Sir Faldo for his win at the Open which was extremely inspiring and as a result made for some very helpful visual aids. I would watch video tapes of Faldo and Nicklaus for hours, then imitate their swings,'' he said.
``The driving range that I worked at had an old Jack Nicklaus teaching VHS tape, and while I didn't understand a word he said, I watched that tape till the tape wore out.''
Yang entered the Korea PGA in 1997, then moved to the Japanese Tour in 2004. While playing in the leagues, he won one trophy in Korea and four in Japan.
Still unheralded, he burst onto the world scene in November 2006 after defeating Woods en route to winning the HSBC Champions Tournament, co-sanctioned by the Asian and European Tours.
And the next year, he made the big decision to move to the PGA Tour, which had seen few successful Korean golfers other than Choi Kyoung-ju.
``At first, it was tough and a bit awe striking especially coming from Jeju, which is a small island with a small population. When you come to the United States, and then to the big state of Texas, everything seems to be on steroids. Big buildings, big parking lots, big land mass, big trucks, big portions of food, big people as well,'' said Yang, who now resides in Dallas, Texas.
``I am thankful that my family moved over with me, which made the transition smoother. My wife's cooking keeps me sane because I don't survive well on western cooking after about a week. The children keep me motivated, and thankfully there are about 200,000 Korean people living in the Dallas Fort Worth area, so that helps a lot as well.''
The self-taught golfer began playing on the top professional men's golf circuit, going through qualifying school in 2007, but $53,480 in prize winnings from nine events was not enough to hold on to full Tour membership.
As a result, he returned to the qualifying tournament in 2008 and earned his 2009 PGA Tour card before clinching his career-first title at the Honda Classic last March and eventually the PGA Championship.
Choi Kyoung-ju, a seven-time champion, was the only Korean household name on the PGA Tour for a long time.
But the major win catapulted Yang to rock-star status on home soil out of the blue, and he will return home to enjoy it at the Ballantine's Championship, scheduled from April 22 to 25, on his native Jeju Island.
``I am a bit nervous, especially since in 2008 I didn't really perform well in front of my friends and family. I guess there will be a bit more people rooting for me next month, and my main goal is to leave an impression with them, the sponsors who have invested so much in me, and ultimately put up a good show worthy of a major winner,'' said Yang, who tied for 43rd in the inaugural event in 2008.
``I am also quite happy and looking forward to it since it's also a fun thing to be able to play in front of your hometown crowd. I don't get to do that too often, and my sister is getting married the week before the tournament, so I hope I can deliver a nice wedding present for her by playing well.''
His local fans as well as the native people will be rooting for their hometown hero to top the European Tour event in front of them.
But Yang might relax and just try to pace himself to meet his own expectations, as he has decided to do after his major win.