Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.
South Korean Y.E. Yang earned a name for himself and a spot in history Sunday, beating Tiger Woods to capture the PGA Championship.
Yang’s upset victory, the first major title for a golfer from Asia, will be remembered for years. It’s a victory for everyone who has ever rooted for the underdog. Ranked 110th in the world, Yang didn’t seem fit to caddie for Woods, much less stage a come-from-behind victory.
Consider that Woods had never been beaten in a major tournament — a total of 14 times — when he entered the final round atop the leader board, as he did Sunday.
Yang entered two strokes behind Woods and played a stellar round to a three-stroke victory, stunning the sports world. Until Sunday, the 37-year-old Yang was a virtual nobody in professional golf — even by his own admission.
“For me, I don’t consider myself as a great golfer,” Yang said through an interpreter. “I’m still more of the lower-than-average PGA Tour player.”
Unlike Woods, who learned the game as a toddler, Yang came to the game late. The son of a farmer, Yang had dreamed of becoming a body builder and opening a gym, but a blown knee at age 19 ended those plans.
Instead, he took a minimum-wage job at a small driving range where he could eat and sleep for free and fell in love with the sport. He learned to play golf by watching telecasts and videotapes of PGA events. It took him three years before he broke par.
He eventually became good enough to play tournaments in South Korea, China and Japan. He qualified for the PGA Tour three years ago but didn’t win a tournament until earlier this year.
Yang was humble after Sunday’s incredible win, saying he was just an “average Joe” working at his “dream job.” Yang is more than that. He is an inspiration to the duffers and average Joes who still dare to dream.
Join the Discussion:
Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.
Full comments policy