‘Daesang’ Ham Jeong-woo: "I Hear People Say I Got Married Well"

Same-age Golfer Kang Yerin Slows Down After Marriage and Birth
Last Month, Excitement with Choi Kyungju Tournament Win and Awards
Effective Joint Training with Wife in Cheonan Amid Heatwave
"Next Year, I Will Challenge the European and American Stages"

‘Smile Man’ Ham Jeong-woo’s face is full of smiles.

This is from the past. He married Kang Ye-rin, a fellow 1994-born player on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, in March last year, and they welcomed their princess (Ham So-yul) this March. His performance in the first half of this year was disappointing, causing him considerable mental stress. There were even jokes saying, "Since he got married, his performance has declined." However, Ham Jeong-woo rallied in the second half, achieving one victory, ranking 3rd in prize money (632.52 million KRW), and winning his first-ever Player of the Year award (6,062 points). In an interview with Asia Economy on the 20th, he smiled brightly, saying, "Now I often hear people say I made a good choice getting married."

Ham Jeong-woo, who won the Grand Prize for the first time in his life, expressed his ambition, saying, "Next year, I will challenge the stages in Europe and the United States."

A former national team member, Ham Jeong-woo won the Rookie of the Year award on the Korean Tour in 2018 and showcased his presence by winning the 2019 SK Telecom Open and the 2021 Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Choi Kyung-ju Invitational. Although he did not win last year, he performed well by finishing in the top 10 six times, including two runner-up finishes, ranking 11th in prize money (403.62 million KRW) and 4th in Genesis points (4,632 points). Ham Jeong-woo was determined to gift victories to his wife and daughter this year. However, things went awry. In the first half, he only managed to enter the top 10 four times in 11 tournaments. Ham recalled, "My wife was under a lot of mental stress. I was too eager to perform well," adding, "After getting married, my performance wasn’t good, so I felt a lot of psychological pressure."

After completing the first half of the season, Ham Jeong-woo took time to regroup before the second half. His wife suggested endurance training first. They ran 5 km together. It was a masterstroke. Ham revealed, "We exercised in the hot July and August weather, with temperatures approaching 38 degrees Celsius," and "We deliberately ran between 1 and 2 p.m., the hottest time of day." To increase training effectiveness, he commuted from his family home in Cheonan to Woojeong Hills Country Club. He followed his wife’s advice that "commuting from the house in Yongin to Woojeong Hills is a waste of time." He smiled, saying, "Thanks to my wife, my performance improved in the second half. After winning and receiving the Player of the Year award, my wife’s face brightened."

Ham Jeong-woo soared in the second half. In August, he finished tied for 4th at the KPGA Gunsan CC Open and 3rd at the LX Championship, and in September, tied for 5th at the iMBank Open, demonstrating his proximity to victory. Last month, he finally claimed his first win of the season and his third career victory at the Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Choi Kyung-ju Invitational. He expressed gratitude to his wife, saying, "Thanks to the training during the break, my perseverance improved," and "I gained the strength to endure without collapsing in the 3rd and 4th rounds."

Ham Jeong-woo set his pre-season goals on winning multiple titles and the Player of the Year award. He achieved one of them. At the Korean Tour season finale, the LG Signature Players Championship, which ended on the 12th, he finished tied for 4th and received the Genesis Player of the Year award. He explained, "I really wanted to win the Player of the Year. The player ranked 2nd in the Player of the Year points, Lee Jung-hwan, did not perform well," adding, "After the 2nd round, I felt I could win the award. I stayed focused until the very end without loosening my concentration."

Ham Jung-woo is taking a commemorative photo with his family after winning the Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Choi Kyung-ju Invitational last month.

As the top Genesis Player of the Year points earner, Ham Jeong-woo received various benefits. These included a bonus prize of 100 million KRW, a Genesis vehicle, a five-year Korean Tour exemption, direct entry to the final stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying (Q) School, and a one-year exemption on the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour). Ham said, "A great opportunity has come. A stepping stone to upgrade to the next level has been prepared," and laughed, "This time it feels like a big chance. I even received a 100 million KRW bonus. I plan to use it as expenses to challenge overseas tours."

Ham Jeong-woo will knock on the doors of the DP World Tour and PGA Tour next year. He said, "I plan to challenge the DP World Tour in the first half. But I heard it’s not easy to travel to far countries like South Africa and the Czech Republic," adding, "There are about five tournaments held in Asia. Focusing on these tournaments seems like the wise approach." Ham will participate in the PGA Tour Q School final stage from December 14 to 19. After focusing on physical training in Korea, he will travel to Florida, USA, one week before the tournament to begin local acclimatization training. He said, "If I finish in the top 5, I can play in several PGA Tour regular events," and "If I get a Korn Ferry (second-tier) Tour card, I plan to compete for 2 to 3 months."

Ham Jeong-woo is embarking on a solo journey. He said, "Realistically, it’s difficult for my family to accompany me overseas. I plan to endure alone for about a year," and added, "My wife also told me to think of the year as a preparation period." He said, "Advancing to the PGA Tour has been a dream since I was young. My ultimate goal is to succeed on the American stage. It won’t be easy, but I want to do well in the U.S. and settle in quickly." He continued, "I won’t invest too much time. If it’s too hard, I will boldly give up and return to Korea," revealing his future plans.