Korean golf — setting new standards

JUNE 22: Korea is quickly becoming an asset for Asian golf and like Sweden, has achieved fame and worldwide recognition through its golfin...

JUNE 22: Korea is quickly becoming an asset for Asian golf and like Sweden, has achieved fame and worldwide recognition through its golfing talent. Successful training programmes in both countries — though Sweden started theirs much earlier — have ensured that they presently have players on the best golf tours.

Further support is provided by golf fanatic and businessmen Choi and others like him. When the snow cuts off access to golf, these youngsters are flown to New Zealand where they are housed by him and their training continues unhindered.

Korea seems to have grasped the right end of the stick. Rather than depend on foreigners to make their tour successful, they are developing the best talent in their own nation. National tournaments with large purses ensure that the highest standards are maintained at home. This was evident last week when local golfer Choi Kyung-Ju won with a score of 16-under-par. Furthermore, when players venture out it is only in search of the ultimate goal — to win majors and international events.

Is the PGA of India is listening?

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Another feather in the golfing hat — in the wake of the match-fixing crisis that bowled over cricket — was the inaugural Laureus Sports Awards held in Monaco on May 25, where two of the nine awards were won by golfers. Tiger Woods maintained his dominance among the world’s sportspersons as he beat the likes of tennis player Andre Agassi and athlete Maurice Green to bag the `Best Sportsman of the Year’ award. Learning fast, `El Nino’ Sergio Garcia came through to win the `Newcomer of the Year’ award. Others nominated for this award — selected by 230 leading sports journalists from more than 75 nations — were American football player Kurt Warner and none other than tennis champion, Serena Williams.

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS:

APGA: No event scheduled Indian Amateur Golf: Singapore Junior Golf Championship; Winner: Gurbaaz Mann

COMING UP:

USPGA: FedEx St. Jude Classic

Senior PGA: Cadillac NFL Golf Classic

EPGA: Compaq European Grand Prix

LPGA: McDonald’s LPGA Championship

European LPGA: Ladies French Open

Buy.Com: Buy.Com Greensboro Open

GOLFER OF THE WEEK: Choi Kyung-Ju

It’s Koreans all the way. USPGA tour player, Choi Kyung-Ju won back to back events on his home circuit, and with scores of 16 under and 20 under.

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