Korean Player "Can They Win at the Masters?"

Choi Kyung-ju: "The Masters is the Optimal Tournament"
Im Sung-jae's Runner-up Finish in 2020 is the Best Result
This Year, Im Sung-jae, Kim Si-woo, Kim Joo-hyung, and Lee Kyung-hoon to Compete

‘Tank’ Choi Kyung-ju is a pioneer who paved the way for the PGA Tour. He has accumulated a total of 8 wins, including a victory at The Players Championship. Although Choi Kyung-ju never won a major, it was regrettable that he never stood at the top in the prestigious ‘Masters Tournament,’ where he showed his strengths. Choi Kyung-ju finished 3rd at the 2004 Masters, which was the best result ever achieved by an Asian player at the Masters until Im Sung-jae finished as runner-up in 2020.

Choi Kyung-ju also finished in the ‘top 10’ three times at the Masters, including a tie for 4th place in 2010 and a tie for 8th place in 2011. Choi Kyung-ju said, "The major tournament where Korean players can win is the Masters," and added, "Someday, we will hear news of a Korean winning the Masters."

Im Sung-jae challenges to become the first Korean player to win at the 'Masters' in the 'Myungin Yeoljeon' tournament.

The Masters is a tournament that requires precision more than power. Being greedy can lead to big trouble. Calm play is necessary. Because the greens are tricky, players must drop the ball in spots where they can attack the hole with precise iron shots. The ‘needle-like iron shots’ are the strength that allows Korean players to achieve good results.

This year’s Masters will kick off on April 6 (local time) at Augusta National Golf Club (par 72, 7,545 yards) in Augusta, Georgia, USA. Only the top 88 players were invited. Im Sung-jae leads the Korean contingent. He is recalling the thrilling memories from three years ago. In the final round of the 2020 Masters in November, Im Sung-jae added 3 under par to finish tied for 2nd place with Cameron Smith (Australia). He became the Asian player with the best record at the Masters. This record was broken when Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) won in 2021. Im Sung-jae missed the cut in 2021 but finished tied for 8th last year. He clearly shows strength at Augusta National.

Kim Si-woo’s rising form is also impressive. He secured his first win of the season and his 4th career win early at the Sony Open in January. Kim Si-woo is currently competing in the Valero Texas Open, the tournament just before the Masters, to check his condition. Kim Si-woo has played in the Masters six times, with his best finish being tied for 12th in 2021.

The Masters debut of ‘young gun’ Kim Joo-hyung is also highly anticipated. Last August, he recorded the youngest two PGA Tour wins (at 20 years and 3 months) at the Wyndham Championship and the Shriners Children’s Open. He is praised for his fighting spirit and competitive nature. He has played in four major tournaments and performed well with a 23rd place finish at last year’s US Open. Lee Kyung-hoon will participate as a PGA Tour winner.