Return to Gainbridge LPGA after 1 year 10 months, Galdal, McDermott, Rogers, Duval "Number 1's Dark History"
The "former golf queen" Jeong Yani has thrown her hat into the ring for the Gainbridge LPGA, drawing a spotlight.
[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] ‘The Jeong Yani Mystery’... "Why Did Golf Legends Suddenly Disappear?"
"Mentality, and injuries."
That is the reason why golf legends suddenly vanished. Jeong Yani (Taiwan) is once again drawing attention as she participates in the Gainbridge LPGA (total prize money $2 million) opening on the night of the 25th (Korean time) at Lake Nona Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, USA. It has been 1 year and 10 months since the Lotte Championship in April 2019. This is a story about world stars who dominated an era, such as Ralph Guldahl, Johnny McDermott, Bill Rogers, and David Duval (USA).
▲ ‘The Jeong Yani Mystery’ = She achieved her first win at the major LPGA Championship in June 2008 and captured a total of 15 wins including 5 majors in just 5 years. She won 1 tournament in 2009, 3 in 2010, and an astonishing 7 in 2011. With an average driving distance of 269.25 yards (ranked 1st on the LPGA Tour at the time) and a greens in regulation rate of 74.33% (2nd place), it is remarkable that she was executing ‘precise shots’. She won 3 tournaments in 2012 and held the world number 1 ranking for 109 consecutive weeks from 2011 to 2013.
The fact that Jeong Yani immediately fell into a slump in 2013 is surprising. In a recent interview with Golfweek USA, she revealed, "The expectations around me were too high, which became a burden," and "I had no problems during practice, but my swing did not work properly in actual competition, and I cried many times," sharing her emotional struggles. Chris Mason, her swing coach, shared an episode, saying, "Even if she finished 5th, reporters would ask, ‘What happened?’"
Jeong Yani’s tee shots and iron shots sharply deteriorated, and around the time she was rebuilding her swing with Mason in 2018, she also developed ‘putting yips’. She introduced her story, saying, "In 2019, I stayed at a meditation center in Taiwan for about 10 days to regain my composure," and "I decided not to keep making myself suffer like before." She said, "I still love golf," and "My original plan to return to the tour last year was delayed due to COVID-19, but this year I will fully compete again," showing her fighting spirit.
▲ Guldahl, McDermott, Rogers, Duval: "The Dark History of Number 1" = Guldahl was the first ‘teenage champion (19 years 8 months)’ in PGA Tour history, winning the Santa Monica Open in 1931. He collected 3 major wins including 2 Masters titles from 1937 to 1939 and 1 US Open, and entered the Hall of Fame with a total of 16 wins including a ‘3 consecutive wins’ streak at the Western Open. Excessive swing analysis and correction became a ‘poison’. He won 2 tournaments in 1940 but left the tour entirely in 1942.
Johnny McDermott was the first American to win the US Open in 1911 and successfully defended his title in 1912. It is even more tragic that his playing career ended at age 23 in 1913. He spent the rest of his life in hospitals due to mental illness. Bill Rogers won the Open Championship in 1981, enjoying a life of luxury traveling around the world. However, his prosperity directly led to a decline in performance, and he ended both golf and travel in 1988.
Duval could not overcome the ‘trap of injuries’. He was the protagonist of the ‘Big 3 era’ from 1997 to 2001, defeating the ‘Golf Emperor’ Tiger Woods (USA) and reaching world number 1. He won a total of 13 tournaments including the Open Championship and famously shot a ‘magical 59’. On the final day of the 1999 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, he recorded 1 eagle and 11 birdies for a 13-under-par 59. Due to injuries, he lost his tour card in 2011 and now occasionally appears as an invited player and commentator.
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