[New Challenge] National Team Player Pi Seung-hyun "I Have to Do Like My Hyungs"

Amateur 'Top Prospect' Won Last Year's Songam Cup
Overcame Driver 'Yips' Slump Through Training
Selected for 2022 National Team, Father is Golf Trainer
"Aiming for KPGA 2nd Division This Year, 1st Division Next Year"

He is a ‘phenomenon’.

National representative Pi Seung-hyun expressed his ambitious aspiration, "I will enter the PGA Tour after competing in domestic and Asian tours."
[Photo by Junseok Park]

This is about national representative Pi Seung-hyun. He is showcasing outstanding skills on the amateur stage. On the 20th, he signed a sponsorship contract with Daebo Group. He is a player with great potential. In an interview with Asia Economy, Pi Seung-hyun said with a bright smile, "Jang Yubin hyung and Jo Wooyoung hyung are seniors from Korea National Sport University," adding, "I want to play golf as well as they do." Jang Yubin and Jo Wooyoung are ‘young guns’ who won gold medals together at last year’s Hangzhou Asian Games. They were recognized for their skills to the extent that they won professional tournaments last year while still amateurs.

Pi Seung-hyun was born in 2004. He is now 20 years old. He started playing golf seriously in the 4th grade at Gaon Elementary School. He trained at Seowon Academy, operated by Daebo Group. In just five years, he made it onto the national team. In 2019, he gained attention as the youngest national representative to participate in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open. However, the following year, he experienced the ‘yips’ with his driver. He recalled, "I wondered if I should quit golf and focus on studying," but ultimately concluded, "Golf is what I can do well."

He overcame the slump through training. He woke up every day at 7 a.m. and practiced shots at the driving range until 9 a.m. From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., he worked on approach shots and putting, followed by about an hour and a half of physical training. He sweated it out for 7 to 8 hours a day. He won the Maekyung Solago in 2021 and was reselected as a national representative in 2022. Last year, he reached the top at the 30th Songam Cup Amateur Golf Championship. He said, "When I emptied my mind, my golf improved," and added, "Now, I am trying to enjoy golf."

Pi Seung-hyun does not have a large physique, but his average driving distance is 280 meters. He explained, "It’s thanks to a lot of exercise. I think my natural flexibility is also the secret to my long drives." His strengths are iron shots and putting. He is especially confident in shots from 80 to 120 meters. He shapes the ball flight comfortably, executing both draws and fades. His father, Pi Young-sik, is a golf specialist trainer. After graduating from Korea National Sport University, he learned golf later in life and even obtained a teaching pro certificate. Hwang Yuna, who joined the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, is also his student.

Last winter, he improved his skills through overseas training camps. He completed the first Turkey Championship (December 25 to January 15) and finished the second national team training camp in Thailand (January 20 to February 11). If given the opportunity, he aims to enter the professional stage this year. Pi Seung-hyun said, "I will focus on achieving good results in the KPGA 2nd Tour. First, I want to finish in the top 10 to advance directly to the regular tour." If he does not secure a 1st division seed, he plans to compete in the qualifying tournament.

Pi Seung-hyun has big dreams. He wants to enter the U.S. Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour and compete with world-class players. He has also made detailed plans. He emphasized, "I want to play overseas by going through the Asian Tour Qualifying (Q) School. I will raise my ranking on the Asian Tour, advance to the PGA Korn Ferry (2nd division) Tour, and finally enter the PGA Tour."