The power of a ‘three-star’ pedigree: Hong turns pro four years after starting golf2 story
Hong Jin-yeong (23, Ankang Construction), who plays on the KLPGA (Korean Ladies Professional Golf) Tour, comes from a prestigious golfing family.
She is the granddaughter of Hong Deok-san, the eighth president of the Korean Professional Golf Association (KPGA) from 1992 to 1995 and a founding member. His father also joined the KPGA in 1996 and played as a tour professional. She comes from a prestigious golf family that has produced three generations of golfers. He joined the KLPGA in 2018 and has been playing on the regular tour since 2022.
“When my grandfather was younger, he used to practice his shots in the Han River because there was nowhere else to practice,” said Hong Jin-young2. He was very happy that I was the first of his grandchildren to prepare to play golf, and he was very cute with me. He liked to play screen golf with me and we played often,” he said. “After I started playing golf in earnest, it was a pity that we never went out on the field together because of his age.” “My grandfather taught me how to play golf, and he told me that he was self-taught because back then (golf training) was more of a fistful of balls,” he laughed.
Growing up in a golfing family, you’d expect to pick up the sport more quickly, but it wasn’t until middle school that Hong first picked up a club. “It was fun to play golf with my dad, like making bets when I was practising my putter. I think that’s why I liked the sport of golf. “At first, my dad didn’t want me to play because he said, ‘It’s hard, so why do you want to do it,’ but I pushed him. Later, he supported me, saying, ‘If you really want to do it, do it. I learnt by practising for 30 minutes after school and sending him a video of my swing and he would give me feedback or just watch it at home,” he said. “When I was in high school, I didn’t qualify for the intermediate federation tournament, so I wasn’t interested. But in my senior year, I qualified for a few tournaments, and then I passed the semi-pro test with flying colours and became a full member of the Jump Tour. I think I was on a good track then,” he reflects.메이저사이트
Hong Jin-jin2, who played on the Dream Tour for three years after joining, won his first title in the fourth round of the 2021 Dream Tour and joined the regular tour the following year. “I was nervous and happy at the same time. I still remember how excited my parents were,” he said. “It was great to be able to play on an equal footing with the players I was used to seeing on TV.” As for her first season on the regular tour, she says, “It was up and down. It took me a long time to adjust and I didn’t have a lot of experience. It took me a long time to get used to the course. I felt like the season ended before I could show my golf,” he said. “I didn’t realise it (the seeding at the end of last season) until I got to the top tour, but once I played a season, I wanted to keep my seeding so badly. I was desperate.”
Hong has specific goals for this season. “I’m aiming for 30th on the money list, 72% on the greens in regulation, and 30th on the putting list,” he said. “A player who hits well will eventually make a name for himself. I want to be remembered as a player who plays well consistently without ups and downs.”
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