'Daegu Gohyang' Kim Daehyun "A Message of Hope with Victory~"

'COVID-19 Relief Fund' Donation, Completing Malaysia Training "Determined to Secure 5th Win This Year"

Kim Daehyun gathered his resolve to deliver a message of hope to his hometown Daegu, which is suffering from COVID-19.

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] 'Long hitter' Kim Dae-hyun (32) feels heavy-hearted.

This is because his hometown Daegu, Gyeongbuk, where he was born and raised, is suffering from the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). On the 12th of last month, he donated 10 million won to his hometown Daegu to overcome COVID-19. Considering that he earned 238.33 million won in prize money on the Korean Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Korean Tour last year, it is a significant amount. He said, "Daegu is in a difficult situation due to COVID-19," and added, "Although it is a small amount, I hope it will be of help."

Kim Dae-hyun is a player who debuted on the Korean Tour in 2007 and has won a total of four times. He also won the 'Longest Drive Award' for five consecutive years from 2007 to 2011. In 2009, he showed his extraordinary power by recording an average drive shot distance of 303.69 yards for the first time. He enlisted in the military in April 2017 and was discharged in January 2019, making a successful comeback last season. He finished as runner-up twice in 15 tournaments. He ranks 6th in Genesis Points and 11th in the prize money ranking.

His goal this year is naturally to win. He has been without a title since winning the Maeil Dairies Open in September 2015. Having had his second son in December last year, his sense of responsibility has grown. This is why he focused on training in Malaysia from the end of January to early March. He concentrated on improving his short game skills. He explained, "I struggled with the short game around the greens last year," adding, "I put effort into controlling the distance of running approach shots and practicing putting from short distances of about 2 to 3 meters."

It is encouraging that despite returning to the tour after two years, he demonstrated skills that have not rusted. Leading with an average drive shot distance ranked 13th (294.32 yards), greens in regulation rate ranked 23rd (71.11%), and average putts ranked 30th (1.8), he boasted consistency with an average score ranking 3rd (70.64 strokes). Kim Dae-hyun, who said, "I gained confidence as my results matched my efforts," expressed his firm determination, saying, "Now is the time to win," and "If an opportunity comes, I will never miss it."