'Retired' Yoon Chaeyoung: "Juniors, Do Not Fear, Challenge Yourselves"

17 Years of Touring Life: Retirement Matches in Korea and Japan
Tears at Final Game in Japan, Happy Memories with Fans
Thoughts on the Future: "I Will Show Various Sides"

"The world is vast. I hope the juniors will also take on challenges."

This is the request of veteran Yoon Chae-young, who recently announced her retirement. It is the moment she leaves the field after 17 years of professional life in Korea and Japan. In an interview with Asia Economy on the 27th, Yoon Chae-young smiled and said, "I still can't believe that I am retiring," adding, "I feel like I have been a player for a very long time." She continued, "Even now, if my physical condition allowed, I would like to advance to the United States," and advised, "I hope the juniors will experience bigger stages."

Recently retired Yoon Chaeyoung conveyed the senior's hope that "junior colleagues would challenge themselves on bigger stages."

Yoon Chae-young is synonymous with consistency. She debuted on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour in 2006 and maintained her tour card for an impressive 11 consecutive years. She boasted consistent performance every year. In July 2014, at the Jeju Samdasoo Masters, she created a drama of '159 attempts and 160 tries' by finally succeeding. She made it even more meaningful by defeating the 'Golf Empress' Park In-bee at that time. She recalled, "I still remember it vividly," calling it "an unforgettable moment."

Yoon Chae-young joined the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA) Tour in 2017 and played there for six consecutive years until last year. Although she did not win, she appeared in 159 tournaments, achieving four runner-up finishes and entering the top 10 a total of 24 times. She reflected, "If I hadn't gone to Japan, I might have quit early," and said, "I was lucky." Yoon decided to enter the Japanese market after being invited by her club sponsor Yamaha Golf to the Yamaha Ladies Open in 2016. She led by two strokes through three rounds. Before the final fourth round, she even took photos in advance of the prizes given to the winner, such as a piano and a boat, which were awarded due to an injury. On the final day, Yoon played alongside Lee Ji-hee and Shin Ji-ae in the champion group. Unfortunately, she finished with an even par and ended up tied for third. She said, "Through this tournament, I gained confidence that I could also succeed in Japan." Yoon entered the Japanese stage after passing the JLPGA Tour Qualifying Tournament (QT), which lasted through four rounds.

Yoon Chae-young cannot forget the Dai-Oh Paper Elleair Ladies Open last November. It was her last tournament on the JLPGA Tour. Despite the difficulty of securing a tour card for the next year, all the Japanese fans who had continuously supported her gathered. Yoon received a cake with her photo on it and a crystal plate inscribed with "Thank you, Chaeyoung" as gifts. She shared, "We ate together and had a great time," and "Later, I cried with my mother."

Yoon planned to retire after playing through this year. She was confident she could maintain her tour card. Last year, she skipped the March tournament and started playing the tour in earnest from April. She calmly said, "It is regrettable that I did not perform well last year. My feel was not bad, and there were no major problems with my shots," adding, "I struggled with score-making, which shook me. Because I couldn't achieve good results, I lost my tour card." If she had maintained her card, Yoon planned to hold a retirement tour this year with her parents. She said, "I was thinking of visiting famous restaurants and hot springs around the tournament venues," and added, "I am a bit disappointed that my retirement was brought forward by a year, so I couldn't do the filial piety tour."

Yoon Chae-young will hold retirement matches in both Korea and Japan. On the 30th of next month, she will greet Japanese golf fans at the Yamaha Ladies Open held in Shizuoka, Japan. Then, on April 27th, she will play her final round at the Chris F&C 45th KLPGA Championship, the first major tournament of the KLPGA Tour. The main sponsors of both tournaments are Yoon's sponsors. At the Yamaha Ladies Open, her younger sister Yoon Sung-ah will serve as her caddie. Sung-ah is a former full member of the KLPGA Tour and played on the Dream (second-tier) Tour. Yoon explained, "My sister decided to carry my bag at the Japanese tournament," adding, "Since it's the last tournament, she wanted to be with her older sister."

Choi Na-yeon, Kim Da-na, Yoon Chae-young, and Kim Ha-neul (from left) are having a great time taking sticker photos.
[Photo by Yoon Chae-young]

From mid-December last year, Yoon Chae-young did not even hold a club for two months. She visited ski resorts in Jeongseon and Gonjiam with Choi Na-yeon, Kim Ha-neul, Kim Da-na, and others. She smiled shyly, saying, "I have never taken such a long break," and "I am worried whether I will hit the ball well at the retirement match." She will start full-scale training from this week. She plans to build her physical strength in Yongin and practice shots at Ribera CC, where her younger sister gives lessons.

Yoon Chae-young's love for golf has deepened even more. She mentioned, "If I had a tour card, I would probably still be playing golf now," adding, "I liked living a regular life while playing tournaments, and I was very satisfied." She continued, "I learned a lot in Japan. I matured a lot as a person," and added, "I realized that the world I was in was narrow. I really grew to love golf."

Yoon did not forget to give advice to juniors. She said, "If you truly love golf, you have to go abroad. You need courage when you first go overseas," adding, "It takes about one to two years to adapt, and it can be tough, but once you get over that hurdle, you can gain a lot." She advised, "Physical fitness and foreign language skills are basic. You have to believe that you can adapt to a new tour," and shared from her experience, "Your results may not be good, but you can gain a lot through failures."

Yoon Chae-young is planning her second life. She is steadily preparing for the future by keeping various possibilities open, such as lessons, broadcasting, and YouTuber activities. She said, "I am considering work that I can enjoy and do well," and "I am meeting many people and getting advice." Yoon promised, "I also talked about creating fun content with Na-yeon and Ha-neul," and "I will come back as a more wonderful Yoon Chae-young."

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