[Adieu, 2024] Reversal, Miracle, and Expansion

Ogu Play Yulina Achieves Domestic Triple Crown and Advances to the US
Choi Kyung-Joo Wins as Oldest Champion, Claims The Senior Open
Lydia Ko Wins Paris Olympic Gold, Enters Hall of Fame
New Technology-Equipped Screen Golf Dominates China and the US

Many events occurred in the golf world in 2024. Yuna Yun received a disciplinary reduction and created a dramatic comeback, while K.J. Choi produced a 'miracle.' Scotty Scheffler and Nelly Korda (both from the United States), the world No. 1 ranked male and female golfers, dominated the tours. Lydia Ko (New Zealand)'s gold medal at the Paris Olympics left a strong impression. The Korean market strategy of LIV Golf, sponsored by Saudi Arabian oil capital, was also a major issue.

Yoo Yina is receiving a celebratory water splash from her colleagues immediately after winning the Jeju Samdasoo Masters last August. Photo by KLPGA

◆Erasing the Scarlet Letter= Yuna Yun has returned. In June 2022, she was suspended for three years after a rules violation at the Korea Women's Open, but her suspension was reduced to one year and six months. She made her comeback in April at the Doosan Construction We’ve Championship, the domestic opening event of the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour. Yun bowed once again, saying, "I will show growth with a humble and exemplary attitude."

After her suspension was lifted, Yun soared. In August, she claimed her second career victory at the Jeju Samdasoo Masters after two years and one month, proving her resilience. She competed in 25 tournaments this year, finishing in the top 10 fourteen times, leading the points race (535 points), prize money (1.21142 billion KRW), scoring average (70.05 strokes), and top 10 finish rate (56%). But that’s not all. Last week, she secured her LPGA Tour card by finishing 8th at the LPGA Qualifying (Q) Series Final. She promised, "I will show a good performance in the United States next year."

Choi Kyung-ju (right) is smiling brightly with his caddy on the small island of the 18th hole after winning the SK Telecom Open in a playoff last May. Photo by KPGA

◆Astonishing Feat= K.J. Choi defied time with a remarkable run. Known as the 'living legend of Korean golf,' he has 17 wins on the KPGA Tour and 8 wins on the PGA Tour. In May, he set the record for the oldest winner on the tour at the SK Telecom Open. At 54 years old this year, he broke the previous oldest winner record of 50 years, 4 months, and 25 days set by Sang-ho Choi at the 2005 KT&G Maekyung Open. He is the first player in his 50s to win on the KPGA Tour in 19 years.

Especially memorable was the first playoff hole against Sang-hyun Park at the 18th hole during the SK Telecom Open. Although his second shot landed short of the green in a penalty area, the ball was on the rough inside the water hazard. He managed to get the ball onto the green with his third shot and saved par. In July, Choi also won the major senior tournament, The Senior Open, earning a spot in next year’s Open Championship. He is now just two PGA Tour events away from reaching the milestone of 500 career starts.

Scotty Scheffler is walking toward the podium to wear the Green Jacket after winning the Masters last April. Augusta=AP·Yonhap News Photo by AP

◆Unmatched Competitors= This is the story of Scotty Scheffler and Nelly Korda (both from the United States). Scheffler secured 7 wins on the PGA Tour. He won the major Masters Tournament in April and topped the Tour Championship, the final event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, in October. He also won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics and the Hero World Challenge, a PGA Tour special event hosted by the Tiger Woods Foundation, totaling 9 victories. He was honored as the Players’ Player of the Year.

Korda was equally impressive. Despite playing only 16 tournaments, she matched Scheffler’s 7 wins. From January’s LPGA Drive On Championship to April’s major Chevron Championship, she achieved a remarkable streak of five consecutive wins. She added two more victories at the Mizuno Americas Open in May and the Annika Driven event in November. This year, she won the Rolex Annika Major Award and was named LPGA Player of the Year for the first time.

Lydia Ko is smiling brightly while holding the gold medal right after reaching the top at the Paris Olympics last August. Paris=AFP·Yonhap News

◆The Hyundai Daughter-in-Law Revived= Lydia Ko also came under the spotlight. In January, she won the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, her first victory in 14 months. In August, she claimed her third win of the season and 22nd career victory at the major AIG Women’s Open and the Kroger Queen City Championship. By winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, she fulfilled the criteria for induction into the LPGA Hall of Fame.

Lydia Ko has been a 'golf prodigy' who dominated the professional stage since her amateur days. Since debuting on the LPGA Tour in 2014, she has won three major championships. She has 30 career wins in the United States and Europe combined. On December 30, 2022, Ko married Jun Jung, the only son of Chung Tae-young, Vice Chairman of Hyundai Card, at Myeongdong Cathedral in Jung-gu, Seoul. Although she experienced a slump, she made a perfect comeback this year.

Golfzon has created City Golf, an urban golf course, at the Meijiang Convention Center in Tianjin, China, and has launched its attack on the Chinese market. Photo by Golfzon

◆Expanding the Territory= Golfzon, the No. 1 screen golf company, expanded its business scope. It began preparations for a global screen golf tournament, focusing especially on the Chinese market. They introduced City Golf, a new urban golf course that solves the green issues typical of screen golf. This system, developed for the first time in the world with the global market in mind, is a hybrid golf platform business aiming to be a 'premium golf course enjoyed in the city.' The first location opened in Tianjin, China. Golfzon plans to actively promote the City Golf business, targeting major global cities starting with China.

‘Golf Emperor’ Tiger Woods (USA) and Rory McIlroy also invested in screen golf. The Screen Golf League (TGL), co-founded by Woods and McIlroy through Tomorrow Sports, will launch in January next year. The first match will be held on January 7, 2025, at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Besides the two stars, players like Xander Schauffele (USA) and Kim Joo-hyung will participate. The league was originally scheduled to launch in January this year but was postponed by a year due to a dome roof collapse accident at the venue in November last year.

Rory McIlroy is posing with his family right after winning last month's DP World Tour Championship. Dubai=AFP·Yonhap News

◆Divorce Lawsuit and Reconciliation= Rory McIlroy, the 'PGA marquee star,' became the center of attention for off-course issues. Three days before the start of the major PGA Championship in May, it was revealed that he filed for divorce from his wife Erica. The filing was made in Palm Beach County Court, Florida, citing "irretrievable breakdown of the marriage." However, two days before the US Open in June, he announced the withdrawal of the divorce lawsuit.

McIlroy married Erica in 2017 and they have one daughter. After about a month, McIlroy reversed his position, explaining, "Over the past few weeks, Erica and I realized that staying together as a family is the best future. Fortunately, we overcame our differences and are starting anew." Despite the domestic turmoil, McIlroy won the Zurich Classic in April and the Wells Fargo Championship in May.

Jang Yubin will join LIV Golf next year as the first Korean player. Photo by KPGA

◆Targeting Korea= LIV Golf began investing in the Korean market. It views Korea as a strategic hub for expanding into the Asian market. On the 12th, LIV Golf announced the signing of Jang Yoo-bin, a KPGA Tour star. He withdrew his entry for the PGA Tour Qualifying School two days before it began and officially joined LIV Golf. Ironhead GC, led by Kevin Na (USA), had fielded Danny Lee (New Zealand) and Scott Vincent (Zimbabwe) this season but released Vincent and replaced him with Jang Yoo-bin.

While there have been Korean-descended players in LIV Golf, this is the first time a Korean national has competed. LIV Golf, entering its fourth season next year, ranks individual and team standings separately. Each team consists of four members including the captain. Jang Yoo-bin said, "I will compete with world-class players. If given the chance someday, I would like to play on the PGA Tour as well." LIV Golf will hold its first tournament in Korea next May at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon, hosting LIV Golf Korea.

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