[2022 New Start①] 'Star Rookie' Bae Yong-jun "Joining the Korean Tour"..."Rookie of the Year Secured~"

Successful Soft Landing with 2nd Place in This Year's Srixon (Division 2) Tour Earnings and 37th in 'Recommended Player' Korean Tour Earnings "Rookie Storm Forecast"

'Former national team player' Bae Yong-joon predicted a 'rookie sensation' on the 2022 KPGA Korean Tour. Photo by KPGA

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "Victory, and Rookie of the Year."

Top rookie Bae Yong-jun (21) will officially debut in the 2022 Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Korean Tour. This season, he has already secured three 'Top 10' finishes in seven tournaments, positioning himself 37th in the prize money rankings (13,635,000 KRW), successfully making a smooth landing. "I am undergoing various training and strengthening my physical condition in preparation for the season opening in April next year," he said, expressing his firm ambition: "I want to win as soon as possible and claim the Rookie of the Year title, which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Bae Yong-jun wore the Taegeuk mark from 2018 to 2020 and reigned as the 'strongest amateur' by winning the 2018 Hosim Cup and Heo Jeong-gu Cup Korean Amateur Golf Championships, as well as the 2019 Songam Cup. After obtaining full KPGA membership last year, he advanced to the Srixon (2nd tier) Tour this year and immediately demonstrated elite power by winning the 8th event in June. In 15 tournaments, he has one win, three second-place finishes, and two third-place finishes, which is somewhat lacking in victories. He ranks 2nd in prize money (60,550,000 KRW) and 1st in average score (67.34 strokes).

It is interesting that Bae Yong-jun has shown outstanding performance on the regular tour. His starting point was a tie for 3rd place at the Woosung Construction Aramir CC Busan-Gyeongnam Open in July, where he participated as a recommended player. With 'top 5 in the previous event' status, he placed 3rd at the Yamaha Owners K Open and earned a ticket to the 64th KPGA Championship, a major tournament, under the same conditions. In September, he also tied for 6th place at the Shinhan Donghae Open. In October, he participated in the Genesis Championship as a top-ranked player in the integrated Srixon Tour points, and in November, he entered the LG Signature tournament with the qualification of being 70th in prize money.

It is remarkable that he has never been cut once. With a final prize money ranking of 37th and an average score ranking of 7th (70.54 strokes), he easily secured his 2022 season card. Bae Yong-jun, who said "I have had consistent performance since my amateur days," added, "After finishing 3rd at the Woosung Construction Aramir CC Busan-Gyeongnam Open, I gained confidence. I have accumulated sufficient experience in effective course management and differentiated strategies for attacking and defensive holes on both the Srixon Tour and Korean Tour," showing his fighting spirit.

Bae Yong-jun's main weapon is his 'computer iron shots.' His driving distance of 287.67 yards (40th) and a greens in regulation rate of 71.76% (13th) combine to deliver optimal performance. His short game is also exceptional, with a bunker save rate of 84.21% (1st). However, his putting ability is relatively lacking, averaging 1.81 putts per hole (44th). He pledged, "This winter, I will perfect my green play to adapt to different green speeds."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.