[At Clubhouse] '16-Year Tour Veteran' Yoon Chaeyoung "I Think I'm Amazing Myself"

Active for 16 Consecutive Years in Korea and Japan, Combining Beauty and Skill, Recently Moved to Yongin for a Fresh Start: "Golf Is So Fun"

In her 16th year on tour, Yoon Chae-young said, "Golf is so much fun," and expressed her aspiration, "I will enjoy playing golf this year as well."

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] "I truly think I am amazing."

Entering the professional stage where the best athletes compete is not easy. The same goes for golf. When that period spans 16 years, it naturally earns a thumbs-up. The protagonist is Yoon Chae-young (34), a "16th-year tour player." In an interview with Asia Economy on the 3rd, she said with a bright smile, "Players have to fight a yearly battle for their tour cards like mayflies," adding, "It might be luck that I was able to run tirelessly for 16 years amid such fierce competition."

▲ "Sweat never betrays" = Yoon Chae-young is the original beauty who debuted on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour in 2006. She is praised for "having outstanding skills along with beauty." She started as the first promotional model selected by the KLPGA Tour in 2009 and firmly held that position. In July 2014, she created a drama by lifting the winner's trophy at the Jeju Samdasoo Masters after a staggering 160 tournaments. At that time, she added significance by defeating the "Golf Empress" Park In-bee (33, KB Financial Group).

She has maintained consistent performance with stable results every year. Yoon Chae-young, who said she "had a brief slump during her time as a national team reserve," stated, "If a professional golfer loses their tour card, there is nothing they can do," and added, "I played golf tenaciously because I didn’t want to go to the qualifying tournament." In 2017, she joined the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA) Tour. "I struggled to adapt in the first half of the first year, but my results improved in the second half," she explained, "Japan became a new turning point in my golf career."

▲ "Golf is so much fun" = She discovered the joy of golf later in her career. Her face is full of vitality. Yoon Chae-young said, "When I was young, I only wanted to win quickly and retire," but added, "Now my mindset has changed," emphasizing, "There is no better job than being a golf player." She experienced a period of lost concentration while playing domestically for 10 years until 2016. The choice she made then was to move to Japan. "Even now, I think it was a masterstroke," she recalled.

Yoon Chaeyoung equipped Yamaha Golf's new product, the first winning assistant of 2014, again this year. Photo by Yamaha Golf

She is now fully immersed in life on the JLPGA Tour. "Every day is so much fun," she smiled, "I matured late." She is working harder to keep up with younger players. She consistently does weight training, Pilates, and running. Yoon Chae-young said, "When I played domestically, the tournament atmosphere was fierce," and added, "In Japan, seniors and juniors take care of each other," describing it as "an atmosphere where you can enjoy the game even amid intense competition."

▲ "A fresh start after moving" = Recently, she moved from Mapo, Seoul to Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, known as the "Golf 8 School District." This was so that her younger brother Jeong-won (23) and younger sister Seong-ah (21), both professional golfers, could focus solely on their training. "I am working hard to organize the moving boxes," she said, "There are so many things that it will take quite a while." She has also started full-fledged field training. "The weather was neither cold nor too hot, which was great," she added, "I plan to sharpen my dulled senses before leaving next week."

Her most confident skill is the "punch shot." It was the secret to posting good scores in windy Japan. She is still using Yamaha Golf products, which sponsored her during her first win in 2014. She described them as "a winning weapon that always brings good energy." She will compete in the Daikin Orchid Ladies, scheduled to open on March 4 in Okinawa, Japan. "I am already looking forward to the first tournament," she said, expressing her bold ambition, "I will also bring news of a victory this season."