'Banbaji' Appears in KPGA... Changing 56 Years of Tradition

Gunsan CC Opens with First-Ever Shorts-Wearing
Record-Breaking Heat Prompts Player Protection Measures
Kim Yongtae, Park Kyungnam Mark 'First Shorts Players'
PGA Prohibits, LIV Golf and Asian Tour Allow

The long-standing tradition of the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA), boasting 56 years of history, has been broken.

Kim Yong-tae is teeing off wearing shorts at the 1st hole of the first round at Gunsan CC.
[Photo by KPGA]

For the first time ever, tour players wore shorts during a round. A historic scene unfolded during the first round of the KPGA Tour Gunsan CC Open (total prize money of 700 million KRW) held on the Gunsan CC Tournament Course (par 72, 7,460 yards) in Gunsan, Jeonbuk, on the 11th. At 6:50 a.m., Kim Yong-tae took a tee shot wearing shorts at the 1st hole, and at the same time, Park Kyung-nam did the same at the 10th hole (both par 4). This moment is recorded as the first time shorts were worn by players on the KPGA Tour.

Among the 72 players who competed in the morning, eight wore shorts. Along with Kim Yong-tae and Park Kyung-nam, Oh Seung-hyun, Lee Joon-seok (Australia), Moon Kyung-jun, Kim Dong-eun, Kevin Jeon (New Zealand), and Kim Bi-o chose shorts instead of long pants. Their expressions were brighter than ever, welcoming the wider range of clothing options.

The players' reactions to playing in shorts were positive. Kim Yong-tae said, "I wore shorts because it seemed much easier to play in the hot weather. They are more comfortable than long pants." Lee Joon-seok, a Korean-Australian, smiled and said, "I get very hot and it was always tough having to wear long pants in the summer. (laughs) I'm really glad to wear shorts." Moon Kyung-jun explained, "They provide good ventilation and allow me to play comfortably in hot weather. While playing on the Asian Tour, I always wore shorts in hot regions, so it doesn't feel awkward."

Mungyeongjun (left) and Kim Dong-eun are smiling brightly wearing shorts just before the first round of the Gunsan CC Open.
[Photo by KPGA]

The KPGA announced the day before, "Players are allowed to wear shorts at the Gunsan CC Open." The tournament organizing committee stated, "Due to the expected high humidity and heat during the tournament period, we decided to allow players to wear shorts during play as a consideration for their comfort." This year, Korea has been experiencing abnormal high temperatures since last month. Heatwave warnings have already been issued, and players on the field are battling the intense heat.

This is the first time the KPGA Tour has allowed players to wear shorts during a tournament. According to KPGA Tour regulations, players may wear shorts only during pro-am and practice rounds in tournaments held from June to September, and wearing shorts during the tournament period can be permitted after discussion with the organizers. However, shirts must be tucked into the pants, and shorts must not be more than 10 cm longer or shorter than the knee. Training-style shorts are not allowed.

Cho Min-gyu supported the decision, saying, "The temperature is high this week, especially with the humidity at the tournament venue. This decision prioritizes the players' comfort." Genesis Points leader Jang Yoo-bin said, "It's really great. My mother even brought shorts to the tournament," adding, "I plan to wear shorts during the tournament." He shared his experience, saying, "I have worn shorts at the Asian Tour Hong Kong Open, BNI Indonesian Masters, and last year's Hangzhou Asian Games."

Currently, the PGA Tour in the United States is conservative about shorts rounds, valuing tradition. Shorts are only allowed during pro-am and practice rounds. The PGA Tour permitted shorts in practice rounds and pro-ams starting February 2019. At that time, players began choosing shorts from the World Golf Championships (WGC) Mexico Championship and Puerto Rico Open. Shorts must be neat and knee-length to maintain decorum. If leggings are worn under shorts, they must be solid-colored. PGA Tour caddies have been allowed to wear shorts since 1999, following an incident where a caddie nearly lost his life due to the heat.

On the other hand, LIV Golf, sponsored by Saudi Arabian oil capital, is making bold moves. In September 2022, after the first round of LIV Golf Boston, they surprised everyone by announcing that players could wear shorts starting from the second round. Unlike the PGA Tour, which insists on long pants emphasizing tradition, LIV Golf aims to secure a young and fresh image. The Asian Tour also allows players to wear shorts in its tournaments. The DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) conditionally permits players to wear shorts depending on weather conditions at each tournament.