Marriage and Performance: How Tying the Knot Affects Male and Female Golfers

Male Golfers: Strong Results from Stability and Responsibility as Family Men

Female Golfers: Juggling Even Busier Lives Than Before Marriage

Jangwoo Ham, Taehee Lee, and Hongtaek Kim: "Powered by Family"

For professional golfers, marriage carries a range of meanings. It brings a steadfast supporter into their lives, but it also adds pressure to deliver strong results for the sake of their families. Male golfers often perform well after starting a family, as a sense of stability and responsibility translates into outstanding results. In contrast, female golfers tend to lead even busier lives after marriage, making it harder to focus exclusively on golf.

Jangwoo Ham, who competes on the Korean Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Tour, is a prime example of a player who has excelled after getting married. In March 2022, he married Kang Yerin, a fellow golfer born in 1994 who plays on the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour. In March 2023, they welcomed a daughter named Soyul. “I wanted to show my best side to my wife and daughter,” he said.

Jungwoo Ham has been thriving since getting married in 2022. Photo by KPGA

Out of his five career victories as a professional, Jangwoo Ham has achieved three since getting married. He won the Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Choi Kyung-Ju Invitational in 2023, and the Golfzon-Toray Open in 2024. Notably, the year his daughter was born, he captured the Genesis Grand Prize for the first time and finished first in the Top 10 Finishes ranking.

This year, Jangwoo Ham has continued his winning streak on the Asian Tour. On April 26, he secured victory at the International Series Singapore Open, a premier event on the Asian Tour held at the Serapong Course of Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore. It was his first win on the Asian Tour, earning him a prize of 360,000 dollars (approximately 520 million won). Jangwoo Ham expressed his delight, stating, “My family was the biggest reason I could persevere through tough times.”

Following his victory at this event, Jangwoo Ham received a series of offers. He participated as a wildcard in the LIV Golf Virginia tournament, which began on May 7. By winning the Singapore Open, he also secured a spot in The Open, a major championship set for July. Since getting married, his golf career has been thriving.

Since her marriage in 2016, Taehee Lee achieved back-to-back victories at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open. Provided by KGA

Lee Taehee is another golfer who has experienced a transformation after marriage. Since marrying Kwon Bomin, who worked as a manager at a sports management company, in 2016, he has been on a winning streak. He claimed back-to-back victories at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in 2019 and 2020—the first consecutive wins in the tournament’s history since its inception in 1982. This year, he also performed well, tying for third at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open. Lee Taehee proudly shared, “My wife works in the golf industry, so she understands players’ psychology and routines very well. I have received a lot of support from her.”

Kim Hongtaek has been soaring on both the screen and the field since welcoming his first daughter in 2023. Photo by KPGA

Hongtaek Kim, known as the “King of Screen Golf,” is also energized by his family’s unwavering support. In 2023, he welcomed his first daughter, Seolyeon. During tournaments, he has sometimes written her initials, "SY," on his golf balls. With 16 career victories on the G Tour for screen golf, Hongtaek Kim has been competing on the KPGA Tour since 2017. Recently, he has won back-to-back events, bringing his total KPGA Tour wins to three.

Many female golfers choose to retire from the tour after marriage, as balancing the roles of athlete and homemaker can be challenging. Nevertheless, some continue to excel despite difficult circumstances. Juyoung Park of the KLPGA Tour is a representative “mom golfer.” After getting married in 2021, she has been raising a child while competing in golf, achieving her first win at the Daebo HausD Open in 2023 after 278 attempts.

Juyoung Park is a prominent mom golfer active on the KLPGA Tour. Photo by KLPGA

On May 3, Juyoung Park showcased the power of motherhood by finishing tied for fifth at the DB Women’s Championship. She has made the cut in all five tournaments she has played in this year. She commented, “My husband has helped a lot with childcare. I have tried to practice whenever I could find the time.”

Lydia Ko, a New Zealand golfer of Korean descent, is also enjoying a happy married life. In December 2022, she married Jung Joon, the only son of Jung Tae-young, Vice Chairman of Hyundai Card. After becoming a wife, she briefly experienced a slump, but made a perfect comeback with three victories in 2024, including the AIG Women’s Open, a major tournament on the LPGA Tour. That same year, she is poised to claim a gold medal at the Paris Olympics and secure her place in the LPGA Hall of Fame.

Lydia Ko has been showing remarkable performance since getting married in 2022. Photo by AFP News Agency

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