Tears of Jang Yubin and Ok Taehoon, Who Dominated the KPGA Tour
Jang Yubin Swept Six Individual Titles Last Year
Bitter Experience: Best Finish Tied for 21st After Move to LIV Golf
This Year’s Five-Crown Winner Ok Taehoon Ties for 92nd at PGA Q-S
The global stage proved to be much higher and more formidable than expected. Players who had dominated the domestic tour challenged the international scene, but the results fell short of expectations. This is the story of Jang Yubin and Ok Taehoon. After experiencing the harsh realities of the world stage, both players ultimately returned to the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Tour.
Jang Yubin turned professional the year after winning the gold medal in the men's team golf event at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, which was held in 2023. Quickly rising as the "young gun of Korean men's golf," he was born in 2002 and has recorded three career victories, including winning back-to-back Gunsan Country Club Opens on the KPGA Tour in 2023 and 2024. Last year, he swept six major awards on the KPGA Tour for the first time in history: the Genesis Award (8,002.29 points), the prize money title (1,129,047,083 won), the lowest scoring average award (69.41 strokes), the Top 10 Finishes Award (11 times), the Longest Drive Award (311.35 yards), and the Most Improved Player Award.
In December last year, ahead of the final stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying (Q) School, Jang shifted his career path to LIV Golf. At the time, he stated, "After much deliberation, I decided to take on a new challenge with LIV Golf." LIV Golf highly valued his powerful long drives, generated from his 184 cm frame, and placed their bet on him. Jang became the first Korean player to set foot on the LIV stage.
He competed as a member of the Iron Heads team, which included Korean-American Kevin Na, but his performance did not meet expectations. In the LIV tournaments, which have no cuts, he failed to finish in the top 10 even once. Out of 13 events, his best result was a tie for 21st, and he only broke into the top 20 four times. Ultimately, he finished the season ranked 53rd overall, failing to place within the top 48 in the points standings.
Jang Yubin displayed an average driving distance of 315.9 yards even in LIV Golf, but he was not sufficiently prepared for the new stage. His fairway accuracy rate was only 54.03%, and his iron shot precision wavered, resulting in a greens-in-regulation rate of just 64.10%. He was unable to create many birdie opportunities, and his short game struggles kept him from escaping the lower ranks.
On top of that, he was hampered by injury. He had difficulty managing his condition due to a ligament injury in his left thumb. He said, "An MRI scan in January revealed that the ligament in my left thumb was partially torn and partially ruptured." As a result, Jang decided to withdraw from the LIV Golf Promotion event and, after just one year, chose to return to the KPGA Tour. He plans to dedicate himself to the domestic tour in 2026.
Jang stated, "My experience in LIV Golf is an important asset in my career as a player," and added, "For now, I believe it is right to return to basics and focus on the KPGA Tour." He continued, "After gradually building my competitiveness on the KPGA Tour and the Asian Tour, I will challenge myself on bigger stages again." He will begin overseas training in Vietnam starting January 3 next year.
Taehun Ok participated in the final stage of the PGA Tour Q-School but finished tied for 92nd place. Photo by KPGA
Ok Taehoon also realized the formidable challenge of the world stage. This year, he became the winner of five major awards on the KPGA Tour. He claimed three victories during the season-at the KPGA Championship, Gunsan Country Club Open, and Gyeongbuk Open-and swept the Genesis Award (7,203.87 points), the Top 10 Finishes Award (10 times), the prize money title (1,077,274,161 won), the lowest scoring average award (69.5797 strokes), and the Most Improved Player Award. By winning the Genesis Award, he also secured a bonus prize of 200 million won, a Genesis car, a one-year DP World Tour card, and a five-year KPGA Tour card.
Ok Taehoon advanced directly to the final stage of the PGA Tour Q-School by virtue of his Genesis Award. On December 9, he departed for the United States, adapting to the time difference and course, and was fully prepared with his trainer, putting coach, and professional caddie. However, he was unable to overcome the psychological pressure. In the final stage of Q-School, which concluded on December 14 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, he finished tied for 92nd place.
Bae Yongjoon and Noh Seungyul, who also competed in the same event, faced disappointment as well. Bae, who has two career wins on the KPGA Tour, finished tied for 85th, while Noh, the winner of the 2014 Zurich Classic of New Orleans on the PGA Tour, was tied for 51st after three rounds but withdrew. In this event, the top five finishers earned PGA Tour cards and the top 40 received Korn Ferry Tour eligibility, but none of the Korean players were able to reach these goals.
Bae Yongjoon advanced to the final stage of the PGA Tour Q-School but did not secure a tour card. Provided by KPGA
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