[2021 Newstart⑤] ‘Real Man’ Song Young-han "Going Back to the Beginning"

When 'Number 1' Spieth Was Defeated in the 2016 Singapore Open Victory, Military Enlistment in 2019, Discharged Last August "Excitement and Anticipation"

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Returning to the beginning."

‘Real Man’ Song Young-han (30, Shinhan Financial Group, photo) has started his comeback to the Korean Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA). After enlisting in the army in January 2019, he served as an ammunition soldier in the 9th Division, and was discharged last August. He is currently focusing on weight training and fine-tuning his practical shot skills. He shared, "It became an opportunity to deepen my love and urgency for golf," adding, "I watched other players' games on TV and created a training plan to improve certain aspects."

Song Young-han began golf at a military base practice range following his father, who is now retired as an Air Force colonel, when he was 7 years old. He started his serious athletic career from the 5th grade of elementary school, was selected four times for the national representative reserve team, following an ‘elite course,’ and rose as a next-generation prospect by winning the Korean Tour Rookie of the Year in 2013 and the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO) Rookie of the Year in 2015. However, the lack of a win left him feeling he was missing the ‘final 2%.’

In January 2016, he finally secured his first victory at the SMBC Singapore Open, co-hosted by the JGTO and the Asian Professional Golfers Association (APGA) Tour. It was remarkable that Song Young-han defeated then world number one Jordan Spieth (USA). Amidst the disorder caused by continuous bad weather disrupting the tournament, he held on to win by one stroke, creating a big news story as the ‘revolt of the world number 204.’ Another PGA Tour member, An Byeong-hoon (30), also participated, drawing even more spotlight.

With this win, Song Young-han instantly jumped to 113th in the world rankings, and the following year, propelled by a runner-up finish defending his title, he soared to 69th. More importantly, it marked a significant relief from the frustration of finishing second three times in Korea and six times in Japan. However, the disappointment of not winning on the Korean Tour still remains. He was content with coming close to victory three times: May 2017 SK Telecom Open, September 2017 Shinhan Donghae Open, and a tie for third at the July 2018 KPGA Championship.

It is noteworthy that Song Young-han, standing 179 cm tall and weighing 71 kg with a slender physique and neat appearance, earned the nickname ‘The Little Prince’ among female fans. This is why he is regarded as a ‘draw card’ this year. He said, "After taking two seasons off, excitement and anticipation are mixed," and vowed, "I will prepare for the season step by step, including flexible practice rounds in accordance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines."