Lost KPGA Tour Card and Wandered
Mother's Encouragement Sparked One Last Determined Challenge
Lost 34kg, Now Able to Play Comfortably
Aiming for the Asian Tour and a Bigger Stage
"I need to be a good son to my mother."
Yoo Songgyu is known as one of the longest hitters on the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Tour, with an average driving distance reaching 300 yards. However, since turning professional in 2015, he struggled to achieve good results. In 2021, after losing his tour card, he even considered quitting golf, but his mother encouraged him to give it another try, which helped him regain his determination.
In an interview with Asia Economy on May 30, he said, "Being a professional golfer comes with significant financial burdens. I didn't want to be a burden to my parents," adding, "My mother told me, 'Just try one more time,' so I changed my mind."
Yoo Songgyu passed the qualifying tournament (QT) in 2014 and debuted on the first division tour the following year. However, due to poor results in 2021, he lost his tour card and played on the second division tour for two years starting in 2022. Then, in November 2023, he finished tied for 30th at the QT, regaining his first division tour card. Although he returned to the regular tour, last year he barely managed to maintain his card, finishing 50th in the Genesis Points standings.
Before this season, he renewed his resolve. He began losing weight and overcame an ankle injury. Standing 175 cm tall, his weight once reached 137 kg, but through steady effort, he has now reduced it to 103 kg. "I developed severe inflammation in my right ankle, so I decided to lose weight," he said. "I went on a diet by not eating anything after 6 p.m."
Yoo Songgyu took a leap forward by achieving his personal best, finishing third at this year's Korea Open. Photo by KPGA
The effects of weight loss appeared immediately. His performance improved noticeably. "Until last year, I could only play with my ankle taped. Now, walking is comfortable and I'm less fatigued," he said. "With less physical exhaustion, I can maintain focus until the end of the round, and my backswing has become much easier. My driving distance has not decreased."
From January to the end of February this year, he held a training camp in Thailand with Park Ilhwan. Park Ilhwan is a gold medalist in the team event at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games and the 2014 KPGA Rookie of the Year. Yoo Songgyu said, "I enjoyed training with Ilhwan," adding, "He advised me, 'You have enough ability, so play with confidence.'"
Yoo Songgyu focused on putting practice, which was lacking during the training camp in Thailand. Photo by Yoo Songgyu
On May 25, Yoo Songgyu made his presence felt at the 67th Kolon Korea Open (total prize money of 1.4 billion won) held at La Vie Est Belle Golf & Resort Dunes Course in Chuncheon. After competing for the win over four days, he finished third. He was the highest-ranked Korean player, following winner Sadom Kaewkanjana and runner-up Phum Saksansin, both from Thailand. He said, "Whenever I play at the Korea Open, I feel at ease. The course is difficult, but it's fun," adding, "I especially like the Dunes Course. I have good memories from playing in the Monday qualifiers for the Korea Open in the past."
Using the Korea Open as a turning point, Yoo Songgyu is now training even harder. He is adding a straight ball flight to his usual fade and said, "My swing is only about 30% complete," adding, "I'm playing with the mindset of just getting my tee shots onto the fairway."
He is especially focused on improving his putting. "Compared to my shots, I had too many three-putts," he admitted, saying that in the five tournaments before the Korea Open, he had a total of 203 putts. He is learning putting techniques from professional golfer Kim Gihan, with whom he is close, and said, "As I consistently take putting lessons, my par save rate is improving, and my results are getting better as well."
Having regained his confidence, Yoo Songgyu has set his sights on his first KPGA Tour victory. "It's not easy, but I now have the confidence that I can do it," he said, expressing his ambition, "I want to consistently achieve good results and finish within the top 20 in the Genesis Points standings."
After the season ends, he plans to challenge himself on a bigger stage. In the past, he prepared for the Japan Tour from age 18 to 24. Although he didn't play in many tournaments, he learned a lot from the experience. He said, "This year, I plan to challenge the Asian Tour," adding, "If I achieve good results, I could advance to LIV Golf or the DP World Tour. I ask for your support," he said with a smile.
Yoo Songgyu plans to challenge the Asian Tour after achieving results in this year's KPGA Tour. Photo by KPGA
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