“McIlroy and Kim Hyo-joo role models

The 8th round of the 2023 Junior Golf Series hosted by the Junior Golf Association of Korea (JGAK) concluded successfully after two days of competition at Baekje Country Club in Buyeo, South Chungcheong Province, on the 31st.

About 120 junior golfers from all over the country competed for the top spot on the scoreboard. All six divisions divided into men's and women's and elementary, middle and high schools were closely contested.

Song Chae-woo (Suseong Bang High School Grade 1), who won the men's high school division with a total of 2 over par over two days, said, "The average distance is about 270 to 280 meters, but today (31st) my drive shot was good, so I was able to manage the game to my advantage." He added, "The secret to long shots is “It is a steady personal practice. (After completing regular training) I am doing 3 sets of 30 full swings on my own without missing a beat,” he said with a smile.

He chose Rory McIlroy (Great Britain) as his role model. He expressed his respect, saying, "He is small in stature, but the way he hits long balls with a near-perfect swing is really cool. I want to hit the ball like this every time."

Seungmin Lee (Hwarang High School Grade 3) swept the women's high school division and overall championship with a total of 5 under par in the second round.

Seung-min Lee, who showed off his razor-blade putts for two days, said, "This is my 4th time participating in the Junior Golf Series, and I am really happy to win for the first time." He added, "My role model is professional Hyo-joo Kim. I want to be like Bo-un, who continues to hit shots leisurely and steadily in any situation." He smiled shyly.

The top spot in the girls’ middle school division was taken by Iyo Lee (Eunseong Middle School, 3), who recorded a total of 2 under par over the two days. Kim Ha-on (Saeseem Elementary School 6) and Choi Yeon-woo (Hyeonchon Elementary 5) each won the male and female elementary school trophies.

Kang Yul (Sangwon Elementary School), who ranked 3rd in the elementary boys' division 11 months after starting golf, smiled brightly and said, "Today (31st) is my first time playing and I wanted to gain practical experience. I was very nervous because it was my first time competing with golfers my age, but it was still really fun." .

He said, "I want to continue participating in competitions in the future. It's been 11 months since I started playing golf, and I want to practice hard and participate in competitions often and even win a prize."

JGAK is a non-profit organization created to foster top-level male and female professional golfers and create an environment in which elementary, middle, and high school golfers compete fairly.

We hold a national junior competition every month and are committed to nurturing domestic prospects by providing scholarship support for golf specialties and developing educational programs.

Since last March, we have been holding national youth competitions every month to create a fertile soil for nurturing domestic prospects.

Baekje Country Club, where the JGAK tournament is held, is called the ‘junior golf mecca.’

At Baekje CC, the Jump Tour (Part 3), known as the gateway to becoming a star in the Korean Ladies Professional Golf (KLPGA), is held. Starting next year, the KLPGA Associate Member Selection Competition will also be held.

Participating in the JGAK tournament is expected to provide a significant growth spurt for youth golfers as they can experience the professional stage in advance.

A leading golfer has already achieved his dream of becoming a professional using JGAK and Baekje Country Club. Representative examples include Song Ga-eun, Hyeon Se-rin, Hong Jeong-min, Lee Ye-won, and Moon Jeong-min.

In addition, JGAK has decided to hold a competition at Monarch Country Club in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province next year. This is the stage where the ‘Dream Tour’, the second part of the KLPGA tour, is held.

Starting with the JGAK competition, junior golfers can participate in the KLPGA Associate Member Selection Tournament, Jump Tour, and Dream Tour, thereby laying the foundation for them to grow into star players.

It's not just the stage. JGAK does not neglect to motivate youth golfers through active media exposure.

In addition to helping them gain a wealth of practical experience by consistently hosting competitions, we are also providing both material and spiritual support 'off the field' to help domestic youth golfers develop into future stars.

JGAK Executive Director Noh Hyun-wook said, “We are focusing our efforts on publicity to attract companies that sponsor junior players. He is also in the process of negotiating a broadcast for a sports broadcast. The JGAK Junior Golf Series, the only junior golf competition where galleries are allowed, promotes a competition where players, parents, and coaches come together. “We will do our best to build a tournament infrastructure that anyone who likes golf, not just the elite, can enjoy,” he said.

JGAK announced the schedule for the next competition early on. The 9th round of the Junior Golf Series will be held on November 13th and 14th.

Game 10, which will be the finale of this season, opens on December 4th.


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