[Golf Topic] Im Sungjae and Kim Siwoo "Joining Hangzhou Asian Games"... Women All 'Amateurs'

by Roh Woolae

Published 27 Apr.2022 12:27(KST)

Im Sung-jae (left) and Kim Si-woo are shouting "Fighting" at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

[Asia Economy Reporter Noh Woo-rae] ○…Korea's male golf aces Im Sung-jae (24) and Kim Si-woo (27, both CJ Logistics) will participate in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.

The Korea Golf Association announced on the 27th, "For the men's division, Im Sung-jae, Kim Si-woo, Jang Yoo-bin (20), and Cho Woo-young (21, both Korea National Sport University), and for the women's division, Bang Shin-sil (Bibong High School), Kim Min-byeol (Chuncheon Girls' High School Broadcasting High School), and Jung Ji-hyun (Goseong High School, all 18) have been confirmed as representatives for the Hangzhou Asian Games." Im Sung-jae (ranked 19th) and Kim Si-woo (ranked 51st), who are active on the PGA Tour, earned their representative qualifications based on world rankings without a separate selection tournament, as professional players are allowed to participate.

The two players will challenge for the gold medal alongside Jang Yoo-bin, who ranked first in the Korea Golf Association President's Cup Amateur Golf Championship, and Cho Woo-young, who ranked first in the final amateur selection tournament. In the women's division, all professional players declined to participate, so the team was composed entirely of amateur players. It is known that top-ranked players such as Ko Jin-young (world No. 1), Kim Hyo-joo (ranked 8th, Lotte, both 27), Park In-bee (ranked 9th, 34, KB Financial Group), and Kim Se-young (ranked 11th, 29, Mirae Asset) all declined to be selected for the team.

The Korea Golf Association's Performance Improvement Committee applied the regulation that "if a professional player relinquishes their participation rights, an amateur player will be additionally selected to fill the spot." In the women's division, Jung Ji-hyun, who placed third in the final amateur selection tournament following Bang Shin-sil and Kim Min-byeol who placed first and second respectively, was added to the team. The Hangzhou Asian Games will be held over four days from September 15 at the West Lake International Golf Course in Hangzhou, China. Four gold medals will be awarded across men's and women's individual and team events.