The European Tour is rightly proud of the international make-up of its membership with Korea, the host of this week’s Ballantine’s Championship, one of 35 countries who have supplied champions to the International Schedule since its formation in 1972.
The old guard of K J Choi, Charlie Wi and Y E Yang led the way, Choi setting the ball rolling with his victory in the 2003 German Masters at Golf Club Gut Lärchenhof before Wi joined the Roll of Honour with victory in the 2006 Maybank Malaysian Open at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
It was then the turn of Yang to make an impact on the world scene which he did in considerable style, holding off World Number One Tiger Woods on two occasions; firstly to win the HSBC Champions in Shanghai before memorably becoming the first Asian born player to win a Major Championship in the last year’s US PGA Championship at Hazeltine National.
However, it is not only the experienced members of the Korean game who have made an impact on The European Tour. One of the youngest members – teenager Noh Seung-Yul – has already done that impressively this season and will be a huge attraction this week at Pinx Golf Club on Jeju Island.
In March, Noh, at age 18 years and 282 days became the youngest professional golfer to win in the history of The European Tour when a 14 under par total of 274 was enough to give him a one shot victory over his lifelong hero K J Choi in the Maybank Malaysian Open.
At the time, he became the third first time winner on The 2010 European Tour International Schedule, although that total now numbers six with Noh joining Richie Ramsay, Andrew Dodt, Rhys Davies, Louis Oosthuizen and James Morrison in the record books.
A number of that grouping will join Noh in the field for this week’s Ballantine’s Championship but it will be the Korean teenage and Korean Major Champion who will create the biggest buzz.
Korea might be known as the ‘Land of Morning Calm’ but that might not be the case this week as the country’s golf fans get a close-up glimpse of their heroes. As Ballantine’s themselves put it, they will definitely, ‘Leave An Impression.’
