Yang Yong-eun Bio
Yang Yong-eun (Korean: 양용은; born 15 January 1972), also known as Y. E. Yang, is a South Korean professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions. He is best remembered for his historic performance at the 2009 PGA Championship, where he became the first male player born in Asia to win a major championship. Nicknamed “The Tiger Killer” for that watershed victory over Tiger Woods, Yang built a career that bridged the Asian, European, and American tours. He is also active off the course as the owner of an indoor golf range in the Koreatown section of Dallas.
Early Life and Background
Yang Yong-eun was born in Sindo-ri, Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo-si, on the island province of Jeju-do, South Korea. He is the fourth of eight children, growing up in a large family that shaped his early character and competitive instincts. Yang did not come from a golfing family, and his first exposure to the sport came later than is typical for tour professionals.
He began playing golf at the age of 19, taking a part-time job picking golf balls and later working as a golf instructor at Jeju’s Ora Country Club. Yang learned by closely watching the movements of players who visited the club, an experience that helped him become a largely self-taught golfer. At one point he tried to secure a more traditional job, but an accident in which he fell down a flight of stairs and tore his ACL while learning to use an excavator for a construction company forced a long recovery period. After healing, he began his mandatory service in the South Korean military at the age of 21.
Path to Professional Golf
Following the conclusion of his military service, Yang Yong-eun moved to New Zealand, where he pursued a professional career in golf. He turned semi-pro on 21 July 1995 and became a full professional on 22 August 1996, beginning a long climb through the Korean, Japanese, and broader Asian circuits. His early years on regional tours allowed him to accumulate the experience and ranking points needed to test himself against stronger international fields.
A pivotal moment arrived in 2006, when Yang won the Korea Open, an Asian Tour event, which earned him entry into the HSBC Champions Tournament in November 2006. He won the tournament, beating a strong field that included runner-up Tiger Woods, and the result secured him membership on the European Tour while moving him into the top 40 of the Official World Golf Ranking. In 2008, Yang earned his PGA Tour card through qualifying school, although a difficult 2008 season in which he placed 157th on the money list forced him to regain his card in 2009.
Yang Yong-eun Career
Early Career (1996–2005)
After turning professional in 1996, Yang Yong-eun spent several years competing primarily on the Korean Tour, the Japan Golf Tour, and the Asian Tour. He built his game across multiple tours, picking up regional titles that established him as one of the leading South Korean players of his generation. These developmental years allowed him to refine a self-taught style that blended power off the tee with a creative short game.
By the mid-2000s, Yang had accumulated enough momentum to step onto larger stages. His consistent play across Asia positioned him to take advantage of opportunities on co-sanctioned events, gradually opening the door to the European and PGA Tours.
Asian and European Tour Breakthrough (2006–2008)
Yang Yong-eun’s breakthrough on the global stage came in 2006, when his victory at the Korea Open launched him into the HSBC Champions. His win at the HSBC Champions, where Tiger Woods finished second, announced Yang as a rising international star and earned him European Tour membership. The performance also lifted him into the top 40 of the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time.
In 2007 and 2008, Yang continued to balance appearances across the European, Asian, and PGA Tours. Although his 2008 PGA Tour season ended with a 157th-place money-list finish, the experience of competing week after week against the world’s best players proved invaluable. He regained his PGA Tour card at the end of 2009 qualifying school, setting the stage for his most memorable season.
PGA Tour and Major Triumph (2009–2010)
Yang Yong-eun won his first PGA Tour title at the 2009 Honda Classic in his 46th career start on United States soil, becoming only the second Korean after K. J. Choi to win on the PGA Tour. The victory signaled that he was ready to compete at the highest level, and it provided crucial momentum heading into the summer majors.
On 16 August 2009, Yang won the 91st PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club, his first major championship, overcoming a two-shot deficit going into the final round to finish three strokes ahead of Woods, his playing partner. The victory was the first major championship by a male player born in Asia, surpassing runner-up finishes by Lu Liang-Huan at the 1971 Open Championship, Isao Aoki at the 1980 U.S. Open, and Chen Tze-chung at the 1985 U.S. Open. It was also the first and only time Woods had failed to win a major after holding at least a share of the lead at the end of 54 holes. Ranked 110th in the world entering the week, Yang jumped to 34th after the win, earned a five-year PGA Tour exemption, and finished inside the top ten on the final PGA Tour money list. In April 2010, he added the Volvo China Open, closing with a one-under-par 71.
Later Career and PGA Tour Champions (2011–2022)
Yang Yong-eun reached a career-high Official World Golf Ranking of 19th in 2010, but a difficult stretch of missed cuts in 2013 and 2014 dropped him to 638th by the end of 2014, the final year of his PGA Tour exemption from the 2009 PGA Championship. He spent much of 2015 playing on the European and Asian Tours, where he rediscovered form and made the cut at the PGA Championship for the first time in several years, climbing back to 262nd in the world by November 2015. After a poor 2016 European Tour campaign, he regained his PGA Tour card through qualifying school.
In 2021, Yang was disqualified from the 103rd PGA Championship at The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island, after signing an incorrect scorecard following the second round. In February 2022, after turning 50, Yang joined the PGA Tour Champions, where he continues to compete on the senior circuit.
Driving Style and Strengths
Yang Yong-eun developed his game through observation rather than formal coaching, and that self-taught foundation remains a defining feature of his style. He combines a steady ball-striking approach with a confident short game, traits that have served him well on a variety of course types. His ability to perform under pressure, especially in match-play situations, has been a hallmark of his career.
Notable Events and Milestones
The defining moment of Yang Yong-eun’s career is his three-stroke victory over Tiger Woods at the 2009 PGA Championship, a result that ended several long-standing streaks and made history for Asian golf. He reached the quarter-finals of the 2011 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, a strong showing in elite match play. More recently, he has continued to add milestones on the PGA Tour Champions after joining the senior circuit in 2022.
Yang Yong-eun Career Wins
Yang Yong-eun has built a varied and lengthy victory résumé across multiple professional tours, including 2 PGA Tour wins, 3 European Tour wins, 3 Korean Tour wins, 2 OneAsia Tour wins, 1 Asian Tour win, 5 Japan Golf Tour wins, and 1 PGA Tour Champions win, for a total of 13 documented professional wins.
PGA Tour Highlights
Yang Yong-eun’s two PGA Tour victories both came in 2009, beginning with his win at the Honda Classic in March of that year, his first title in the United States. His second PGA Tour win, the 2009 PGA Championship, remains the centerpiece of his career and one of the most significant achievements in Asian golf history.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the PGA Tour, Yang Yong-eun has posted wins on the European Tour, the Asian Tour, the Korean Tour, the OneAsia Tour, and the Japan Golf Tour, with additional success in co-sanctioned events. His most recent win came on the PGA Tour Champions, where he has continued to compete successfully after turning 50 in 2022.
Yang Yong-eun Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Yang Yong-eun is the fourth of eight children and grew up on Jeju Island, South Korea. He does not come from a golfing family and was largely self-taught in the sport, learning the game while working at Jeju’s Ora Country Club. His older brother encouraged him to visit a local driving range, a suggestion that helped launch his career.
Personal Life
Yang Yong-eun is married to Mi Jin Kim. The couple has lived in Honolulu, Hawaii, and in Atlanta, Georgia, while Yang has also operated an indoor golf range in the Koreatown section of Dallas.
2025 Season Performance
Yang Yong-eun is scheduled to continue his career on the PGA Tour Champions in 2025, the senior circuit he joined in February 2022 after turning 50. The Champions tour features a reduced schedule of events designed for veteran players, and Yang’s experience on global tours provides a strong foundation for consistent play. His 1–0 playoff record on the Champions circuit suggests he remains competitive in pressure moments.
Throughout 2025, Yang Yong-eun is expected to balance Champions events with selective appearances in Asia and occasional invitations to major championships for senior players. As a past major champion, he remains eligible for several invitational fields, offering opportunities to chase additional titles.
With more than two decades of professional experience and a global network of tour connections, Yang Yong-eun enters 2025 aiming to add to his tally of PGA Tour Champions wins. His story, from a Jeju golf range to a major championship trophy, continues to inspire a new generation of Asian golfers.