Golf is not an easy sport. It is a tiring sport that sometimes takes a toll on golfers’ mental and physical health. Amidst all the practice rounds, fitness sessions, and standing from dusk to dawn on the course, golfers usually face a lot of injuries and physical hardships, especially with their backs. Some golfers, such as Rory McIlroy, march through the pain and compete, whereas some players take a break to get stronger and return with full strength.

A young LPGA pro, who is actually a rookie this season, returned to the sport after some back injuries and has taken her rightful place on the leaderboard at the Portland Classic in Oregon after following in McIlroy’s footsteps.

Young LPGA golfer follows in the footsteps of Rory McIlroy

During the final showdown of the FedEx Cup, Rory McIlroy persevered through the extreme pain he faced after severe seizures. The Irish golfer fought until the end of the event and did not withdraw. Though he did not win, he did set an example of determination for his fellow golfers. Going in the same direction, the 20-year-old LPGA star, Hyo Joon Jang, is somewhat doing the same thing in the $1.5 million event.

Giving glimpses of her stellar game on Saturday, Jang put on quite a show with a low round that helped her get to the second position on the board from T25. Her sensational round on Saturday of -10 became her career’s best round so far. At her post-round conference, the young star revealed that she hasn’t been playing much this year because of her back.

She shared that her back feels “much better,” and she will be on track if it doesn’t hurt again. An interviewer also asked her about what winning would mean to her after coming back from a back injury, and in perspective, Jang said that it would be a blissful feeling. She said her win would be very meaningful given all the work she has put into her game.

Though Hyo Joon Jang is now shocking everyone with her amazing game in Portland, things weren’t as easy for her at the beginning. In fact, she had quite a slow and delayed start to her rookie season thanks to her injuries!

Read More: Amid His Ailing Health Struggles, Rory McIlroy Suffers a Major Career Setback at $75M Event

Hyo Joon Jang started her 2023 season a bit late 

After moving to America at just 16 years of age, she made her way up the ranks on Tour. After just a single season of competing on the Epson Tour, Jang finished in the 10th position and got the final qualifying spot on the Epson Tour’s Race for the Card to earn her LPGA Tour card for 2023.

The Portland Classic is the golfer’s seventh appearance on the greens of an event this year. Her first came in April at the LOTTE Championship, and soon after she missed the cut, it was reported that she had undergone back surgery earlier this year. Her pain resurfaced at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, and she again went on a 2-month hiatus to heal. She then returned to Canada for the Canadian Women’s Open.

Tune in to find out if Hyo Joon Jang is able to score her career’s first tour victory, after a painful season.

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