'KPGA's Youngest Seed Holder' Jeong Yujun: "I Will Win Rookie of the Year"

Qualified for the Tournament with a Joint 30th Place Seed
Calm Personality is a Strength... "I Enjoy the Thrill on the Field"
Aiming to Become a Player Like Tiger Woods

"I want to win Rookie of the Year this year."

This is the goal of Jeong Yujun, who is about to debut on the Korean Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Korean Tour. He turned 21 years old by Korean age this year and became the youngest cardholder by finishing tied for 30th place at the KPGA Korean Tour Qualifying Tournament held last November. The process was not smooth. On the first day of the tournament, he made repeated mistakes and dropped far outside the top 100. However, he did not give up and focused for the remaining three days, raising his ranking to tied for 30th on the final day. Jeong Yujun said, "I thought it would be difficult to secure a card because my performance on the first day was not good," adding, "Nevertheless, I kept controlling my mindset and focused only on the remaining rounds, which helped me achieve a good result."

Jeong Yujun is making an iron shot at the 2022 KPGA Srixon Tour 4th tournament.
[Photo by KPGA]

On the 3rd, Jeong Yujun met with Asia Economy and cited his strength as 'calmness.' He said he has been calm and easygoing since he was young, rarely getting startled or angry over most things. He was part of a baseball team until the 5th grade of elementary school but suddenly switched to golf. His father's advice, who thought golf suited him better because calmness and situational judgment are important in golf, was also influential. Jeong Yujun said, "When I first left the baseball team and held a golf club, it was overwhelming and not fun," adding, "Now, I think switching to golf was a 'masterstroke.' I feel it suits my calm personality much better."

Although his basic temperament is calm, he also has boldness that enjoys actual matches more than practice. Jeong Yujun is a 'match player' who feels lighter on the field. He won the Gwangju Superintendent of Education Cup Student Golf Tournament just three years after starting golf and went on to win that tournament two more times. When asked, "Don't you get nervous on the field?" he replied, "The more nervous I am, the greater the excitement and joy." Jeong Yujun said, "Of course, there is pressure and stress about results," adding, "Still, when I go out on the field, I feel proud to compete with great players and happy because there are people cheering for me."

Jung Yujun participating in a 9-hole practice round
[Photo by Jung Yujun]

Jeong Yujun is a freshman who entered university last year but has hardly experienced college life. Due to a tight practice schedule, he has never attended MT (membership training) or OT (orientation). His daily routine starts at 7 a.m. He spends 1 to 2 hours in the gym in the morning working on his lower back and legs, then eats lunch and devotes himself to shot and putting practice. From 5 p.m., he goes out for a 9-hole practice round. Meeting friends and hanging out like other peers is out of the question, but he has his own way to relieve stress. After practice, he enjoys online games such as League of Legends (LoL) and Overwatch at home. Jeong Yujun said, "It's unfortunate that I can't enjoy school life like an ordinary college student or freely hang out with friends, but I have no complaints about my current life," and smiled, "Actually, golf is more fun than LoL."

Jeong Yujun, who is about to make his first appearance on the Korean Tour, dreams of becoming a player like Tiger Woods. He said his ability to quickly regain composure and focus on the game after making mistakes resembles the image he has always admired. He also wants to emulate Tiger Woods' spirit of challenge, who changed his swing posture twice even after reaching the top. His distant goal is to become a world-class player like Tiger Woods, and his immediate goal is to win the Rookie of the Year award this season. Jeong Yujun said, "Unlike the Srixon Tour, I heard that the Korean Tour has faster green speeds and longer roughs, which many players struggle with," adding, "I want to play my best and make a name for myself by winning the Rookie of the Year award."