Minutes after Y.E. Yang’s epic victory over Tiger Woods at the 2009 PGA Championship, his caddie A.J. Montecinos was asked about Yang’s resolve.
Without hesitation, he said: “We were in the final group on Sunday and win or lose, I knew he wouldn’t back down.”
Montecinos was stunned like a deer in headlights when swarmed by media immediately after Yang’s victory at Hazeltine. After all, his boss Y.E. Yang had done something that no one thought possible up to that point.
That is to unseat the goliath Tiger Woods in the final round of a major championship and deny Woods undeniable victory.
Only one man was more baffled than A.J. as to the turn of events that summer evening and that was Mr. Woods himself.
Montecinos got comfortable quickly answering questions and triggered a hearty laugh from the media throng when he said that his limited Korean vocabulary was restricted to the words: “I’m hungry and I’m full.”
When I caught up with Yang a few weeks ago at the 2010 Phoenix Open I asked him if that victory was still fresh on his mind, he responded through his interpreter: “I think it’s past, way past now.”
It’s astonishing that the 38 year old Yang, now ranked 30th in the world went from the PGA Tour Qualifying School to toppling Tiger in just a matter of nine months. His mercurial rise into golf’s record books did not come without discipline and the essential element of sacrifice.
Yang Yong-eun was born on Jeju Island in South Korea to a poor farming family with eight children. He began his journey merely picking up golf balls at Jeju’s Ora Country Club driving range.
His golf game self taught, he would hit balls well into the night. Two years of mandatory military service in the Korean armed forces would further delay his dream.
Reminding me of the quote attributed to the Roman Satirist Persius: “He conquers who endures.”
Ironically Yang turned professional the same year Tiger Woods did in 1996. But that’s where the similarities end. Yang won his first tournament after a long six year drought. Tiger’s path is well
illuminated.
I followed up to determine what his goals were for the 2010 PGA Tour Season, he said: “It’s definitely higher expectations this year, the goal is to win at least one tournament this year”.
A modest goal considering his Herculean feat last year. He almost achieved this only two days later when he held the Clubhouse lead (-14) in Phoenix. He ended up tied for 3 third and well within his secondary goal of finishing in the top 10 at the Phoenix Open.
The pedigree of Korean women players presently dominating the US Ladies PGA Tour is legendary. What’s even more remarkable is the Korean men are making giant strides.
Korean born players were the first to dethrone Tiger Woods from yet another milestone. Both Danny Lee and Byeong-Hun An, became the youngest players ever to win the prestigious US Amateur Championship. The teens attained eminence in serial fashion, Danny in 2008 and then Byeong in 2009.
The first major of the year, The Masters is around the corner (April 8) and when I asked Y.E. how well his game was suited to Augusta, he said: “There’s barely any rough. If I manage to hit my chip shots I’ll do very well.”
His last and only other appearance at The Masters came in 2007 where Yang finished 30th. This time he’s looking to don the Green Jacket at the conclusion of play on Sunday as Masters Champion.
There were no expectations of him when he won his 1 first major last August to the point where
the Irish Bookmaker Paddy Power actually paid off bets (for Woods to win) after the 2 second round of
the tournament and lost a cold US$2.12 million.
There will surely be few who might want to bet against the steely Y.E. this time around.
| 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|