my timesThe Korea Times
  1. Sports

Top Korean tour player learns from crashing out at PGA Tour qualifying event

Listen
By Yonhap
  • Published KST
Ok Tae-hoon of Korea tees off on the eighth hole during the first round of the PGA Tour Q-School on the Dye's Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Dec. 11. Yonhap

Ok Tae-hoon of Korea tees off on the eighth hole during the first round of the PGA Tour Q-School on the Dye's Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Dec. 11. Yonhap

After enjoying a banner year on the domestic tour, Korean golfer Ok Tae-hoon crashed out at the PGA Tour's qualifying tournament in Florida last week.

Though he didn't come close to earning his PGA Tour card, the 27-year-old said Monday not all was lost for him.

"I didn't have a good result, but it was still a meaningful experience," Ok said in a statement released by the Korea PGA (KPGA) Tour. "It was a brand new experience, and I learned a lot from it. I was able to see how my skills stacked up at an international competition."

Ok earned a direct entry into the final stage of the annual PGA Tour Q-School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, by virtue of winning the KPGA Tour's Player of the Year honor for 2025. Ok, who recorded three wins at home, also led the tour in money, scoring average and top-10 finishes.

But he only managed to shoot a one-over par 281 at the Q-School and tie for 92nd place. Only the top five players grabbed PGA Tour cards for 2026.

"I traveled to the tournament site early to prepare," he said. "But it took quite a while to adapt to the course and the grass there. But I came away with a better understanding of how I should prepare to play on a foreign course.

"I was not afraid of the challenge," Ok added. "If I have another opportunity like this in the future, I should be able to get acclimated to the course quickly and adjust my style accordingly."

Ok said he plans to spend about two months early next year in Hanoi to train for the new season, and also to play in some events on the DP World Tour, formerly the European Tour, and the Asian Tour.

"My goal for 2026 is to build on the success that I had this year," he said. "Just because I had one good season, it is not the end of my career. I will try to play an entertaining brand of golf for fans next season."