AMY YANG

The Facts

Birthday: July 28, 1989
Rookie Year on LPGA: 2008
Birthplace: South Korea
Australian Home Base: Queensland
Best LPGA Finish: T-50th (2007 US Women's Open)
Best LPGA Major Finish: T-50th (
2007 US Women's Open)
Height: 5' 8"
2008 LPGA Status: Non-exempt
Nicknames: None
How's her English?: Almost fluent
Road to the LPGA: Finished T-54th at 2007 Q-School to earn non-exempt status

Capsule Bio

Amy Yang is one of a growing number of young Korean hopefuls who leave Korea to train elsewhere while still in their teens. They hope that the easier access to training and golf courses afforded outside of Korea will enable them to progress in their golf skills much quicker. Amy, however, did not go to the US as many Korean prodigies do; rather, she and her family moved to Australia to hone her skills.

Amy was born to Joon Mo (James) and Sun Hee (Sunny) Yang. James had been a member of the Korean national canoe team at one point, while Sunny had been a champion javelin thrower. Amy was also interested in sports, and started playing golf at age 10. Originally, she had wanted to be a swimmer, but a driving range near her community swimming pool drew her towards golf. After just three years of playing, she would become a strong golfer.

Amy moved to Australia's Gold Coast when she was 15. Barely a year later, she was already one of the top amateur players in her adopted country, finishing as a runner-up at the Australian Women's Amateur championship and winning the New Zealand Women's Amateur. But nothing prepared Amy for a week early in February, 2006.

That week, she participated in the ANZ Ladies Masters, at a course just twenty minutes away from where she lived in Australia. This is an official event on the Ladies European Tour, and is considered a Major by Australian golfers. She had been granted a sponsor's exemption due to her outstanding amateur record in 2005.

After shooting a 6 under par 66 in round 2, the unlikely leader of the tournament was none other than Amy Yang. She hung onto that lead in round 3, despite a great few finishing holes by French pro Ludivine Kreutz. In the final round, Amy played with Kreutz and another amateur, a Korean American named Tiffany Joh.

History was on the line. No amateur had ever won an Australian ladies event, and no one younger than 18 had ever won an event on any of the major golf tours in the world (Amy was 16 years 6 months old at the time). It was only her second ever pro event, but she seemed unflappable, and with just two holes to go, she had a two shot lead over Joh and seemingly had the event in the bag. A large group of kids from her high school followed her to cheer her on.

But Joh birdied 17, and professional Catherine Cartwright birdied 18 to move to within a shot of Yang. Yang finally hit a bad shot, her approach on 18, which went into the stands; she bogied, as did Joh, and suddenly Yang found herself in a playoff against Cartwright for the title.

But Yang righted the ship and played two great shots on the first playoff hole. She then dunked a 7 meter birdie putt to win the trophy and become the youngest to ever do so on the European Tour, as well as the first amateur to win on that tour since 1984. She broke down in tears of disbelief on the final green.

Yang's win earned her invitations to play in the 2006 Evian Ladies Masters and the British Women's Open. In the latter tournament, she was the low amateur. The Ladies European Tour (LET) then offered her a 3 year exemption if she turned professional, providing she was accompanied by one of her parents until she turns 18. Turning pro had not been on her agenda until the end of 2007, but after much discussion with her school, her coach and her family, a way was found that she could both turn professional and also complete her schooling. She played the LET events that fall on or around school holidays, and planned to graduate from Robina High School at the end of the year.

Her professional success was immediate. Her first event was the Dubai Ladies Masters in late October. In a field stocked with top talent, she finished fourth, behind only Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb and multiple winner Helen Alfredsson. She pocketed more than $40,000 Australian dollars for her efforts. At her next event, the Mauritius Open, she finished third.

She continued to play professional events in 2007, including the US Women's Open, where she finished tied for 50th, her best Major finish to date. In late 2007, she tried to qualify for the LPGA at Q-School, but barely managed to acquire non-exempt status. Chances are she will focus on playing in Europe for the time being. She plans on moving her home base to Florida starting in 2008; for her final tournaments in Australia, she managed two top tens at the 2008 Australian Ladies Open and the ANZ Ladies Masters.

Galleries

2007 Photos
Photos
Seoul Sisters Pix
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