With the inaugural TGL presented by SoFi season approaching its climax, the scorecard for the innovative and prime time team golf league backed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy makes for some impressive reading.
Germany’s Bernhard Langer, who at 67 years young is a winner of 124 tournaments around the world, and Chinese-Australian Jeffrey Guan, who turned pro a year ago, offer glimpses as to how our Royal & Ancient sport may be the very fabric that shape the lives of those who dedicate themselves to the game.
The stars truly aligned for Asian golf during one glorious Sunday in October as three young talents, Kevin Yu of Chinese Taipei, China’s Wenyi Ding and Kaito Onishi of Japan [above], put an exclamation mark on the importance of the various global pathways that lead to the sport’s ultimate destination, the PGA Tour.
With the Presidents Cup being played at Royal Montreal in Canada starting from Thursday, all eyes will be on the current Asian crop of stars if one of them, including Maruyama’s compatriot Hideki Matsuyama, can emulate a similar feat to power a much-desired International team victory.
No Asian golfer has won the FedExCup since its inception in 2007, with Sungjae Im of Korea coming the closest in 2022 after finishing tied second behind McIlroy.
Scheffler treats Kim like his little brother, and often gives him a hard time – as siblings do. He genuinely believes Kim will be successful on tour for a long time.
This week marks Matsuyama’s 10th anniversary of his maiden PGA Tour victory at the Memorial Tournament in 2014, an event hosted by golf legend Nicklaus. From the breakthrough a decade ago, Matsuyama has since cemented his stature as Asia’s most decorated golfer.
In one of the most compelling stories of the year, the 38-year-old American has stood tall with his perseverance and determination evoking just as much inspiration to fans from all walks of life.
Before the emergence of now eight-time PGA Tour winner Hideki Matsuyama, Ishikawa was the darling amongst fans and Japanese media who were desperate to embrace a sporting hero that would inspire a golf-mad nation.
The evergreen slogan “These Guys Are Good” aptly describes the stars who shine on the PGA Tour week in and week out with their extraordinary skills and talent. It should be known that these are also good guys, with very big hearts.
Since its inauguration in 2007, only 13 golfers have managed to get their hands on the glittering, season-long FedEx Cup trophy – out of a possible 2,709 across the past 16 seasons.Â
It was at the Genesis Scottish Open exactly a year ago that Kim, who was then 20, broke out in a big way after a top-three finish at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick. Although he’d already enjoyed success in Asia, it proved to be a week where the world of golf finally took notice of this prodigious young talent from Korea as he sparkled in a truly world-class field.
Securing a three-peat, or winning the same tournament in three successive years, is such a rare occurrence on tour that only three golfers in the past 40 years have achieved the feat. Lee has the chance this week to become the fourth.
The Masters is not one for the faint-hearted and the Korean star, who is a two-time PGA Tour winner, knows that his proven track record at the fabled venue will make him a worthy contender.
A mixed dose of brutal honesty and tough love from his father, Du Ryu, has kept Si Woo Kim well and truly grounded as he pushes to grow his legacy on the PGA Tour as one of Asia’s greatest golfers.
As the DP World Tour’s Asian Swing kicks off in Singapore this week before journeying to Thailand and India, it will serve as a massive boon to the region’s aspiring golfers with dreams of chasing history and legacy.
Now 80 years young, the Japanese octogenarian is still in the forefront of the game where he now serves as chairman of the Japan Golf Tour Organisation.
It has been a happy year to remember for Asian golf after standout performances and historic achievements by the game’s best from the Far East as they continue to stamp their mark on the globe’s elite playground, the PGA Tour.
Whether Tom Kim’s meteoric ascend will create a new momentum for the men’s game in Korea and across Asia, as Pak once did for women’s golf, is yet to be seen but there are parallels and early indication to suggest another boom may well occur in the Far East.Â
Im has no doubt the camaraderie and bond that have been built and strengthened over the past few years will serve the team’s quest to finally upstage the Americans again.
Australian Golf Digest
