Who's who: Yong-eun Yang

  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Prince's GC, England
  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Terras da Comporta, Dunas
  • Monte Rei G&CC
  • Marco Simone GC (Italy); host of the Ryder Cup 2023
  • Pebble Beach host of the US Open; US Women's Open; Pebble Beach Pro-Am
  • Marco Simone GC

Who's who: Yong-eun Yang

  • Name:

    Yong-eun "Y.E." Yang
  • Country:

    South Korea
  • Born:

    Jan 15, 1972 in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, South Korea.
  • Original/Home Club:

    Sindo-ri, Jeju Island, South Korea.
  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer
  • Turned Pro:

    1996

Roll of Honour

MAJORS (1): US PGA Ch'ship (2009). Presidents Cup player (2009, '11). Multiple wins on the US PGA, Asian, Japan, European, Koprea and OneAsia Tours.

Did you know?

Yang Yong-eun, known in the golfing world as Y.E. Yang, shot to prominence in 2009 when he became the first male Asian player to win a major championship. His win in the PGA Championship was made even more remarkable for the fact that he started the final round 2 shots behind Tiger Woods, the tournament leader after 54-holes. Yang overcame the deficit and went on to win by 3 shots. Yang is a self-taught golfer, who only took the game up at aged 19.

Top tournaments won by Yong-eun Yang

2018
Japan
268 (-12)
¥24million
x

Category

Japan

Winner (holder)

Yang, Yong-eun

Score

268 (-12)

Prize money

¥24million

Title sponsor

x

Played as The Crowns (April 26-29; Japan Tr event). Second-placed Jung-gon Hwang (S Kor) and Anthony Quayle (Aus) finished 4 shots behind Yang Yong-eun (S Kor; known as "Y.E." Yang), who recorded his fifth Japan Tour win. [Wago course, Nagoya GC, Aichi, Jpn].

2010
Asia
Woo Jeong Hills
280 (-4)
US$262,430
Kolon

Category

Asia

Winner (holder)

Yang, Yong-eun

Venue

Woo Jeong Hills

Score

280 (-4)

Prize money

US$262,430

Title sponsor

Kolon

Played as the Kolon Korea Open (Oct 7-10; OneAsia/Korean Trs event). Second-placed Bi-o Kim (S Kor) and Ho-sung Choi (S Kor) finished 2 shots behind Yong-eun "Y.E." Yang (S Kor). [Woo Jeong Hills CC, Cheonan, S Korea].

2010
Asia
273 (-15)
US$416,660
Volvo

Category

Asia

Winner (holder)

Yang, Yong-eun

Score

273 (-15)

Prize money

US$416,660

Title sponsor

Volvo

Played as the Volvo China Open (April 15-18; OneAsia/European Tours event). Second-placed Rhys Davies (Wales) and Stephen Dodd (Wales) finished 2 shots behind Yong-eun "Y.E." Yang (S Kor), who recorded the last of his three European Tour wins. [Jinji Lake GC, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China].

2009
Majors
280 (-8)
$1,350,000
PGA of America

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Yang, Yong-eun

Score

280 (-8)

Prize money

$1,350,000

Title sponsor

PGA of America

The US PGA Championship (91st) (Aug 13-16). Second-placed Tiger Woods (USA) finished 3 shots behind Yong-eun "Y.E." Yang (S Kor). Yang became the first Asian-born player to win one of golf's four major championships, and the first to overturn a Tiger Woods 54-hole lead in a Major. [Hazeltine National GC, Chaska, Minn.].

2009
America
271 (-9)
$1,008,000
Honda

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Yang, Yong-eun

Score

271 (-9)

Prize money

$1,008,000

Title sponsor

Honda

Played as the Honda Classic (March 5-8). Second-placed John Rollins (USA) finished 1 shot behind first-time PGA Tour winner Yong-eun "Y.E." Yang (S Kor). [Champion course, PGA National Resort, Palm Beach Gdns, FL].

2006
Asia
Woo Jeong Hills
270 (-14)
US$205,128
Kolon-Hana Bank

Category

Asia

Winner (holder)

Yang, Yong-eun

Venue

Woo Jeong Hills

Score

270 (-14)

Prize money

US$205,128

Title sponsor

Kolon-Hana Bank

Played as the Kolon-Hana Bank Korea Open (Sept 21-24; Asian/Korean Trs event). Second-placed Ji-man Kang (S Kor) finished 3 shots behind Yong-eun "Y.E." Yang (S Kor). [Woo Jeong Hills CC, Cheonan, S Korea].

2006
Asia
274 (-14)
US$833,300
HSBC

Category

Asia

Winner (holder)

Yang, Yong-eun

Score

274 (-14)

Prize money

US$833,300

Title sponsor

HSBC

Played as the HSBC Champions (Nov 9-12; Asian/Eurpn Trs event; Eurpn Tr 2007 season opener). Second-placed Tiger Woods (USA) finished 2 shots behind first-time European Tour winner Yong-eun "Y.E." Yang (S Kor). [Sheshan Intl GC, Shanghai, China].

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Tournaments

Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).

Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24). 

Who's Who

Céline Boutier: with many successes as both an amateur and professional golfer, Boutier added a major championship title to her impressive résumé at this year’s Evian Championship.

Alex Cejka: buffeted by rain and high winds, especially on the high-scoring final day, Čejka prevailed over Pádraig Harrington in a playoff at Royal Porthcawl, to scoop the Senior Open Championship title.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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