Imagine not knowing a single thing about a sport until the age of 19 and then going on to be one of the most talented golfers in the industry. Sounds absurd, right? Yang Yong-Eun is a very well-known golfer around the world and has now spent 28 years in the industry without any help. The golfer’s story is no short of inspirational; from being the 4th of 8 siblings, Yang had seen some pretty bad days until the sport came into his life.

His life-changing career was marked when he became the 2nd South Korean golfer to win a PGA Tour event, but his journey to the top was challenging, to say the least.

How did it all begin for Yang Yong-Eun?

Yang was born on 15 January 1972 and grew up in a farmer’s family. His parents, Yang Han-joon and Ko Hee-soon didn’t earn much money; hence, life wasn’t easy for the golfer. He grew up in a small Korean town named Jeju-do, which is a province in South Korea. Having grown up with 7 other siblings than him, Yang had zero to no resources to help him in his career. The golfer had big dreams of becoming a bodybuilder and opening a gym of his own, but a devastating knee injury changed everything. For the better, sure, but he did not know that yet.

Yang went on to discover golf by chance at 19 and fell in love with the game, but his parents were not supportive at all. “Golf is for rich people. Why are you trying to become a golfer? Please don’t do it,” his father Han-Joon would say to him per The Ledger. His mother would urge him to work in the field, but Yang knew he had something special.

With no teacher to tell him the rules and techniques of the sport, he learned by watching videos and practicing day and night at a small driving range in South Korea. He even worked there to make ends meet. He would pick up balls and sneak in rounds whenever he could. After serving in the military, Yang started pursuing golf full-time and overcame incredible odds to become the first Asian-born player to win a major championship.

Professional career and its milestones

Y.E. Yang’s golf journey is a true rags-to-riches story. Can you believe it’s been over 25 years since Y.E. Yang first burst onto the golf scene as Rookie of the Year on the Korean Tour? Yang’s journey wasn’t easy, though. He had to fight tooth and nail to earn his PGA Tour card through a grueling qualifying tournament. But that breakthrough moment was all he needed to elevate himself to greatness. And boy, did he ever make the most of it!

In 2009, Yang made history by becoming the first Asian-born player to win a major at the PGA Championship. He aced tournaments on the European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, and Asian Tour and left everyone in awe. Okay, so he didn’t win any more majors, but he still rocked the biggest stages. Top 30 at the Masters? Top 50 at the PGA Championship? That’s seriously impressive!

Y.E. Yang defeated Tiger Woods to win the 2009 PGA Championship

Yang defeated the legendary Tiger Woods to win his first major trophy! It’s a moment that will be etched in golf history forever. Who would have thought that Yang would be the one to take down the GOAT? But he did. Yang was down by two shots but he refused to back down. And then the magic happened. He sank an incredible eagle shot on the 14th hole to take the lead. But the real showstopper was his winning shot on the final hole – a birdie putt that sealed his victory and won the major by three strokes at 8 under par. What an incredible comeback at Hazeltine National Golf Club!

That moment earned him the nickname “The Tiger Killer” and sent shockwaves of pride throughout the golf world. As Asian Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han said, “It’s a great, great day for Asian golf, probably our biggest day. It’s always been our hope that we will see an Asian player win a major, and that day is here.”

The 52-year-old golfer now plays on the PGA Tour Champions and is a living example of the saying hard work always pays off! So what do you think of Yang’s journey? Let us know in the comment section below!