Seoul, Korea: Bonallack Trophy team strongmen and Asian Games gold medallists Jang Yu-bin and Cho Woo-young reached another milestone in their blossoming careers when they lined up in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open for the first time as professionals.
Both players tied for eighth as amateurs at Namseoul Country Club in 2023 in an event that has traditionally been a testing ground for the nation’s leading amateurs as it is organised by the Korea Golf Association.
Those performances played a part in helping Jang and Cho earn their places in the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) Bonallack Trophy team that defeated the European Golf Association in the Ryder Cup-style match play event in Spain last August.
At La Manga, the Korean duo won 2½ points from four matches in the foursomes and fourballs. On the final day, they crucially both won their singles encounters to ensure Captain Rishi Narain’s APGC line-up completed a tense, narrow triumph.
Two months later they were part of the four-man Korean team at the Hangzhou Asian Games. There, they combined with PGA Tour stars Kim Si-woo and Im Sung-jae to win the team gold medal for Korea for the first time since 2010.
Jang and Cho duly turned professional immediately afterwards and have not disappointed in the play for pay game.
“At the beginning of this year, we selected three competitions that we really wanted to win, and one of them was the GS Caltex, because it is a place with special memories of being an amateur and a national team player,” said Jang.
Although victory eluded them last week, both further underlined their potential. In a continuation of their impressive adjustment to the professional ranks, Jang placed equal fourth while Woo shared 20th place.
Based on those results, Jang soared 43 spots in the Official World Golf Ranking to 370th while Cho moved up 20 places to 617th.
Both players believe the experience and pressure involved in the Bonallack Trophy and Asian Games have made the transition for them to the paid ranks easier than it otherwise would have been.
Jang, who won on the Korean Tour as amateur early last season, said: “We played in a lot of professional events, as part of the amateur team, getting ready for the Asian Games. So, I think I am ready for this next stage of my career, and I am going to enjoy life as a professional.
“Since winning the Asian Games I think I have many fans. There have been many requests for autographs and photos at tournaments. I am very grateful and surprised.”
Cho, also a winner as an amateur on the Korean Tour last year, added: “I turned around with a gold medal on my neck in October last year, and I’m already in my seventh month as a professional. I’m enjoying life on Tour so much, with so much passionate support – and I have been improving since the start of the season.”
Whatever they may go on to achieve in the coming months, when the 2025 season tees-off you can be sure Cho and Jang will include the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in their schedule.
“I have practiced and trained at Namseoul so much as amateur. It’s a tournament that I want more than any other tournament,” said Cho.
