The PGA: Olympian victory by Yang

August 17, 5:37 AMGolf ExaminerDave Seanor

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Eat your heart out, Tiger. (AP Photo/Charlie Nebergall)

CHASKA, Minn. – If doubts linger about the merits of Olympic golf, consider the path Yang Yong-eun – better known as Y.E. Yang in America – took to the PGA Championship.

He was a 19-year-old farm boy on South Korea’s Jeju Island when friends took him to a local golf range, where they hit off mats into netting about 60 yards away. Within three years, Yang was breaking par – thanks to countless hours watching instructional videos – and envisioned a future as a club professional.

But Yang soon learned about tournament golf. After mandatory military service, he had honed his game enough to be named rookie of the year on the Korean Tour. Yang won twice on his home circuit in 2002, and at age 30 he ventured to the Japan Tour, where he would notch five victories and gain entry into the 2007 HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai, which he won by overtaking Retief Goosen and holding off Tiger Woods.

From there it was on to America, where he twice qualified for the PGA Tour via Q-School and won the 2009 Honda Classic. Five months later, this self-described “lower than average PGA Tour player” went head-to-head with Woods in the final round at Hazeltine National and emerged as the first player from the Asia Pacific to win one of golf’s coveted major championships.

Imagine the number of similarly inspired golfers in China, India and other less developed golf nations who might benefit from the investment in golf that figures to follow the Olympic endorsement.

The timing of Yang’s triumph was serendipitous, coming three days after a recommendation by the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board that golf be included in the program for the 2016 Games. But his victory was no fluke.

Yang won on the longest course (7,674 yards) in the history of golf’s majors. He beat a player who is on track to become the greatest of all time, and he made it look like a walk in the park. He executed like Tiger, prompting Tiger to make the kind of mistakes predicted of Yang.

Yang said he often visualized going head-to-head with Woods.

“I’ve seen throughout Tiger’s career that a lot of players have folded on the last day when playing with him,” Yang said. “So when I was at home or at a tournament, watching Tiger on TV in the clubhouse, I’d usually try to visualize and try to bring up a mock strategy on how to win, if I ever played against Tiger.

“But when the chance came, I sort of thought that, ‘Hey, I could always play a good round of golf and Tiger could always have a bad day.’ And I guess today was one of those days.”

Woods blamed his closing 3-over-par 75 on poor putting. “I made absolutely nothing,” he said.

But Woods failed to seize opportunities when they presented themselves.

• He missed the green left at No. 5 after Yang had hit his approach shot into trouble – nearly shanking it, actually – which led to Yang’s second bogey in 36 holes after making three in a row early in Round 2.
• He missed the green from the middle of he fairway at No. 6, after Yang had hit a superb punch shot from the right rough to about 18 feet.
• He failed to hit his third shot tight after laying up at No. 7, where Yang had put himself in a horrific spot when he pushed his second shot well right of the green and into the gallery.
• He bunkered his tee shot and made bogey at No. 8 (the par 3 where moments before Padraig Harrington had nosedived from contention with a quintuple bogey 8).
• At No.12, after driving into the left rough, he launched his second shot over the green and failed to get up and down for par.
• At the 17^th, Woods hit his tee shot at the par 3 over the green, albeit aided by a gust of wind.
• And at the final hole, trailing by one shot, he missed a green for the sixth time in Round 4.

Yang, meanwhile, suffered only two unforced errors during his 2-under 70 – the near shank at No. 5 and a tentative 3-putt at the 17^th, where par would have given him a two-shot lead heading into the home hole.

“Y.E played great all day,” said Woods. “He went out there and executed his game plan. He was driving the ball beautifully, hitting his irons in the correct spots. He didn’t really make a lot of putts except for a couple of par putts here and there. But he was dong exactly what you have to do, especially in these conditions. It was so blustery out there, nobody went low.”

Yang made an extraordinary par at the 7^th, where his second shot at the par 5 had ended up in the gallery, 20 feet above the putting surface. He lobbed his third shot perfectly, just clearing a bunker and landing on the only spot that would deaden the bounce enough to keep the ball within 25 feet of the hole.

Yang showed his mettle by getting up and down from a bunker at the par 3 13^th to remain tied at 6 under. He made eagle at No. 14 by chipping in from 50 feet, giving him a lead he refused to surrender. And at the 72^nd hole, he added to PGA Championship lore by pounding a 3-hybrid 210 yards uphill and over trees to within 8 feet of the cup.

“I knew he wouldn’t back down,” said Yang’s American caddie, A.J. Montecinos.  “He’s just not scared. He’s a world-class player.

“I’ve never been around a more tough mental competitor in my life,” Montecinos said. “Nothing affects him, whether he makes double or triple, he’s just like, ‘no problem.’ He just goes about his business. It’s pretty impressive.”

Moreover, Yang’s composure was extraordinary. Ryan Park, who is part of Yang’s management team from IMG, described Saturday night as “very routine,” although Yang admitted that his heart “nearly exploded” when he learned he was paired with Woods. Yang woke up two or three times during the night. His wife, Young Ju, flew in from Dallas on Sunday morning, which had a calming effect.

“I wasn’t that nervous, honestly, because it’s only a game of golf,” Yang said. “It’s not like you’re in an octagon where you’re fighting against Tiger and he’s going to bite you or swing at you with his 9-iron.”

Yang laughed and joked on the practice range. On the course, he soaked up the atmosphere. He exchanged low-fives with fans en route to the 7^th tee. At the 15^th he playfully tossed his ball into grandstand after matching pars with Woods.

“I knew beforehand that it was going to be Tiger’s crowd,” Yang said. “I never had a doubt about that. But they actually started supporting me, and I did hear my name being called out, especially the last four or five holes.”

Just as it was inevitable Woods’ perfect record after holding the 54-hole lead would end, it was only a matter of time before an Asia Pacific player hoisted a major trophy.

Soon the enormity of the victory will hit Yang, who admitted that he’s not prepared for the spotlight.

“I guess I’m going to have to get used to it, right?” he said. “It’s going to be a bit tough. Sure, I know that. But honestly, I’ve never been in this spot, so I really can’t assess it. I’m just going to improvise.”

Good plan. It sure worked at Hazeltine.

SOUR GRAPES? National Sports Examiner Paula Duffy doesn't think Tiger Woods gave the man who beat him at Hazeltine enough credit for the victory.

TIGER POST MORTEM: Tiger Woods Examiner Michael Kaplan breaks down the World No. 1's failure at the PGA Championship.