Y.E. Yang Tames Tiger at PGA Championships
- Author: Min-Q Kim
- Posted on: Wednesday August 19, 2009 at 3:00 PM
- Filed under: sports, tiger woods, y.e. yang, pga championships, golf, exclusive
In case you didn't hear, Y.E. Yang defeated Tiger Woods at the PGA Championships this past weekend to become the first Asian-born man to win a major on the PGA Tour. That chip shot on the 14th hole just may give rise to a new generation of Korean golfers. As a Korean-born American, I must admit that I was a passenger on the Yang bandwagon. On a pure sports level, I honestly can't believe he did it. Tiger had never lost when entering the final round of a major with a lead. But more compelling, on a human interest level, when I read this morning that Yang took up the game at 19 years old, it made it that much more unbelievable. 37-years-old now, with a wife and three children, he pursued his dream and today stands on the pinnacle of the golf world.
(Getty)
“I usually go for broke,” Yang said through an interpreter. “The odds are against me. Nobody’s going to be really disappointed that I lose. So I really had nothing much at stake, and that’s how I played it.” Sweet of him to say, but Yang was mistaken. There was an entire nation up at dawn to watch their man duel the great Tiger Woods (and if they're anything like my relatives, wearing Korean flag headbands, facepaint, and Korean World Cup soccer jerseys) - holding their collective breath.
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COMMENTS
“ wow...unbelievable (: ”
“ cool...breakthrough (: ”
