Yubin Jang, the top player on the Korean Tour, has decided to join the LIV Golf League with a long-term contract after pulling out from the PGA Tour Q-School.
Jang was supposed to play at TPC Sawgrass alongside Johnny Keefer and Kensei Hirata but withdrew before it was announced he joined Kevin Na’s Iron Heads GC. This leaves Hirata as the highest-ranked player in the field.
At just 22, Jang has already made waves by winning Korea’s money list and Player of the Year title in 2024. He achieved this with two wins, five runner-up finishes, and leading in scoring and driving distance (311.4 yards). As an amateur, he helped South Korea win gold at the Asian Games in 2023, which exempted him from military service.
New Beginnings:
After turning pro late last year, Jang quickly claimed three victories on the Korean Tour. Now he’s set to become South Korea’s first competitor in LIV Golf’s 54-hole events. The Korean Times suggests his decision came after playing with Kevin Na at a recent tournament.
Kevin Na mentioned that Jang had already made up his mind weeks ago about joining LIV Golf. Fans might feel excited about this new chapter for Jang.
Jang plans to move closer to Las Vegas to be near Na and will team up with Danny Lee and Jinichiro Kozuma, who have recently re-signed with Iron Heads GC. Kevin Na expressed his excitement about having such a promising young talent on board: “I’ve been following Yubin for years; he’s exactly what our team needs.”
Martin Kim shared his enthusiasm too: “Re-signing Danny and Jini is fantastic! With Yubin joining us as our new young gun, next season will surely be thrilling.”
The upcoming LIV Golf season kicks off in Riyadh from February 6-8, 2025, visiting new places before heading to their home event in Korea from May 2-4 at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club. Three players—Yang, Na, Lee—are from South Korea while Kozuma represents Japan.
But first things first! This week sees LIV Golf Promotions happening at Riyadh Golf Club where 93 golfers compete for one coveted spot in next year’s league lineup.
What do you think about these changes?
