"Send a Golden Shot"... Korean Golf and the Hangzhou Asian Games

1982 New Delhi, 1990 Beijing Start
13 Gold Medals, 13 Silver Medals, 8 Bronze Medals
2006 Qatar, 2010 Guangzhou Sweep
Im Sungjae, Kim Siwoo, Cho Wooyoung, Jang Yubin Ready to Compete

It is a "highly anticipated event." This refers to Korean golf at the "2022 Hangzhou Asian Games," which will open on the 23rd in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.

The Korean delegation is aiming for third place in Asia, following China and Japan, at this event postponed by one year due to COVID-19. The goal is to harvest more than 50 gold medals. In the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, Korea remained at 49 gold medals, falling to second place behind Japan, which took 75 gold medals, and dropped to third place for the first time in 24 years since the 1994 Hiroshima Games. To narrow the gap with Japan this time, strong performances in golf, in addition to medal-rich sports like archery, taekwondo, fencing, and badminton, are urgently needed.

Korea is a golf powerhouse. Along with Japan and Thailand, it dominates tours in Asia. Golf was officially included as a men's event in the 1982 New Delhi Games, and for women starting eight years later at the 1990 Beijing Games. Korea has won 13 gold, 13 silver, and 8 bronze medals in 10 Asian Games, an overwhelming record compared to competitors. At the New Delhi Games, Kim Ki-seop, Kim Joo-heon, Kim Byung-hoon, and Kim Sung-ho participated and won a silver medal in the team event.

At the 1986 Seoul Games, Korea won its first Asian Games gold medal in golf. Kim Ki-seop, Kim Sung-ho, Kim Jong-pil, and Kwak Yoo-hyun took gold in the team event. Kim Ki-seop also placed second in the individual event. At the Beijing Games, Won Jae-sook shone brightly, winning two gold medals in both individual and team events.

The 2006 Qatar Games and 2010 Guangzhou Games were the "peak" moments. In Qatar, Kim Kyung-tae, Kang Sung-hoon, Kim Do-hoon A, Kim Do-hoon B (all men), Yoo So-yeon, Choi Hye-yong, and Jung Jae-eun (all women) swept all four gold medals available in men's and women's team and individual events. In Guangzhou, Kim Min-hwi, Lee Kyung-hoon, Park Il-hwan, Lee Jae-hyuk (men), and Kim Hyun-soo, Kim Ji-hee, Han Jung-eun (women) also took gold in all four events.

The 2014 Incheon Asian Games, which raised expectations, ended with only one gold and three silver medals. The women's team, consisting of Choi Hye-jin, Lee So-young, and Park Gyeol, won silver, which was disappointing. At this event, "beautiful golfer" Park Gyeol won first place in the individual event, heralding the rise of a new star. At the 2018 Jakarta Games, Korea suffered the humiliation of "no gold." Kim Dong-min, Oh Seung-taek, Jang Seung-bo, Choi Ho-young (men), and Lim Hee-jung, Yoo Hae-ran, Jung Yoon-ji (women) participated but only won two silver and one bronze medals. At that time, the Philippines and Japan each took two gold medals.

This is a view of the West Lake International Country Club, where the golf events of the Hangzhou Asian Games are being held.
[Photo by Hangzhou Asian Games official website]

Korean golf is aiming to restore its honor at the Hangzhou Games. Golf competitions will be held over four days from the 28th to the 1st of next month at the West Lake International Country Club in Hangzhou. Winners will be decided through a 4-round, 72-hole stroke play. On October 1, medals for men's and women's team and individual events will all be decided.

Korea is targeting two gold medals in the men's division. For the first time, professional players are allowed to participate. The Korea Golf Association (KGA) selected professional players based on world rankings and amateurs through qualifying tournaments. Considering the Asian Games entry deadline at the end of April, the world rankings as of April 25, 2022, were used as the standard. At that time, world-ranked 19th Im Sung-jae and 51st Kim Si-woo were selected to wear the Taeguk mark. Amateur qualifiers Jo Woo-young and Jang Yoo-bin also joined the team.

Siwoo Kim (left) and Sungjae Im will lead the gold medal charge at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

The men's team is the strongest ever. Im Sung-jae is a world-ranked 27th player with two wins on the PGA Tour. He has shown peak form by qualifying for the Tour Championship, the final event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, for five consecutive years. Kim Si-woo, ranked 38th in the world, has four career wins, including a victory at the Sony Open in January. Both players have experience representing Korea at the Tokyo Olympics. They have not yet completed their military service. Winning a gold medal would grant them military service exemptions. Im Sung-jae emphasized, "Our goal is to work well as a team of four and definitely win the gold medal."

‘Pro hunter amateur’ Jo Woo-young (left) and Jang Yoo-bin are the dark horses of the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Jo Woo-young and Jang Yoo-bin delayed turning professional to participate in the Asian Games. Jo Woo-young made headlines by winning the KPGA Korean Tour Golfzon Open in April. Jang Yoo-bin also made a name as an "amateur who beats pros" by winning on the KPGA Srixon (second-tier) Tour as an amateur and then claimed the top spot at the KPGA Gunsan CC Open last month. Both players demonstrated outstanding skills and led their teams to victory in the Bonallack & Patch Harkins Trophy, an Asia-Pacific vs. Europe amateur golf competition.

Originally, Bang Shin-sil and Kim Min-byeol were expected to compete in the women's division, but they chose to turn professional. Without military service benefits, they opted to enter new stages early. Instead, a new qualifying tournament was held. Kim Min-sol (Suseong Bangtong High School, 2nd year), Lim Ji-yoo (Suseong Bangtong High School, 3rd year), and Yoo Hyun-jo (Cheonan Central Bangtong High School, 3rd year) were selected to wear the Taeguk mark and challenge for medals.

Kim Min-sol is the ace of women's golf at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Kim Min-sol, who passed first in the qualifiers, is the ace. She has demonstrated her skills fully by participating in professional tournaments since her amateur days. She placed tied for 10th at the LPGA BMW Ladies Championship held domestically last October, tied for 4th at the National Title Korean Women's Open in June, and recently tied for 9th at the sponsor's event, the Doosan Construction We’ve Championship. Kim Min-sol said firmly, "My goal since I was young was to participate in the Asian Games. I will challenge for the gold medal with the experience I gained in professional tournaments."

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