Y.E. Yang

JOINED TOUR

• PGA TOUR: 2008

PGA TOUR Victories (2)

• 2009 The Honda Classic, PGA Championship

International Victories (10)

• 2002 SBS Championship [Kor]
• 2004 Sun Chlorella Classic [Jpn]
• 2004 Asahi-Ryokuken Yomiuri Memorial [Jpn]
• 2005 Coca-Cola Tokai Classic [Jpn]
• 2006 Suntory Open [Jpn]
• 2006 Korea Open [Kor]
• 2006 HSBC Champions [Eur]
• 2010 Volvo China Open [Eur]
• 2010 Korea Open [Kor]
• 2018 The Crowns

National Teams

• 2009, 2011 Presidents Cup
• 2009 World Cup
• 2007, 2011 Royal Trophy
• 2013 Royal Trophy Captain

Personal

• Fourth of eight children and the son of vegetable farmers.
• Once aspired to be a bodybuilder and own his own gym. A knee injury in his late teens ended that dream.
• Never knew there was a sport called golf until the age of 19, when he started going to a small, local driving range in South Korea on a friend's advice and learned the swing by watching instructional videos. Worked picking up practice balls and would work on his game before the facility opened and late at night after visitors went home. The range had facilities where you could sleep and eat.
• As required, spent almost two years in the South Korean military, stationed at his home at Jeju Island, south of South Korea, beginning at age 21. Guarded naval port.
• Traveled to New Zealand after his military duty to pursue a golf career. Practiced and played intensely there over a three-month period.

Special Interests

• Sports, fishing

Career Highlights

2017 Season

Failed to advance to the FedExCup Playoffs for a fifth consecutive season after making four cuts in nine starts on the PGA TOUR in 2016-17. Will compete out of the Past Champion category in 2017-18.

2015 Season

• UBS Hong Kong Open: Enjoyed four rounds in the 60s at the UBS Hong Kong Open (68-66-67-69) in mid-October 2015 to finish T7, with three others at Hong Kong GC.
• Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open: Had a solid showing at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open in July. Had a pair of 67s in the second and final rounds to T10 with six others, four shots behind winner Rickie Fowler at Gullane GC.
• CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters: Again lingered near the lead all week at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters. Opened with a 1-over 73 then parlayed under-par rounds of 71-69-71 (5-under) into a T5 finish with Thitiphun Chuayprakong, three shots out of the Lee Westwood-Chapchai Nirat playoff that Westwood won.
• Shenzhen International: Playing in the European Tour's Shenzhen International in China in mid-April, strung together weekend rounds of 66-69 to go with his opening 72-71 to T4 with six others, two shots out of the Kiradech Aphibarnrat-Hao Tong Li playoff that Aphibarnrat won.

2014 Season

Made just 12 cuts in 28 PGA TOUR starts and, at No. 167 in the FedExCup standings, missed the Playoffs for a third consecutive year. Had nine missed cuts and a disqualification from the Barracuda Championship. Attempted to regain his exempt status for the 2014-15 PGA TOUR Season via the Korn Ferry Tour Finals but was unsuccessful. After a T41 and a 73rd place finish, missed the final two cuts of the season.

• Chiquita Classic: Had a 73rd-place finish at the Chiquita Classic.
• Hotel Fitness Championship: Finished T41 at the Hotel Fitness Championship.
• Wyndham Championship: Ended his season on a high note by posting four consecutive rounds in the 60s at the Wyndham Championship (T45).

2013 Season

Made nine of 19 TOUR cuts and finished No. 172 in the FedExCup standings. Failed to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs for a second consecutive season. Did not record a top-10 for the second straight year.

• Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open: On the Japan Golf Tour in late-September, at the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open, shot weekend rounds of 69-69 to finish solo third, two shots behind winner Masahiro Kawamura.
• The Honda Classic: Best finish of the season was a T18 at The Honda Classic.

2012 Season

Finished No. 127 in the FedExCup standings to miss the FedExCup Playoffs for the first time since 2008. Did not record a top-10 during the season.

• Barclays Singapore Open: Was T10 late in the year, at the Barclays Singapore Open, with a 68-69 weekend at Sentosa GC.

2011 Season

Made 14 of 18 cuts and had a personal-best five top-10 finishes. Made second career start at TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola and finished No. 30 in the final FedExCup standings.

• UBS Hong Kong Open: After three straight sub-70 rounds at the UBS Hong Kong Open, he shot a 1-over 71 Sunday to drop to a T7.
• Presidents Cup: Playing in his second Presidents Cup for the International team, he posted a 1-3-0 record in a losing cause.
• Kolon Korea Open: In early October, finished solo fourth at the Kolon Korea Open.
• The Barclays: Recorded his fifth top-10 of the season and the first of his career in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup–with a T6 at The Barclays, thanks to a final-round, career-low, 8-under 63 that helped him jump 23 spots on the leaderboard. Final round was highlighted by a 6-under 29 on the front nine, equaling his best nine-hole score on TOUR that came on the front nine when he shot a 64 at the 2008 Frys.com Open.
• U.S. Open: Finished T3 at the U.S. Open at Congressional CC. Missed his last two cuts (THE PLAYERS and FedEx St. Jude Classic) coming into the U.S. Open and three of his last four overall on TOUR. Recorded his fourth top-10 of the season in 11 starts. The four top-10s tied his career best on TOUR (2009). Enjoyed his third top-10 finish in his 14th major start.
• The Honda Classic: Came back with a runner-up finish to Rory Sabbatini at The Honda Classic. Made a late run to win the event, finishing a stroke back. The 2009 Honda Classic champion entered the final round five strokes behind Sabbatini. Fired rounds of 67-66 on the weekend and led all players with 17 birdies for the week.
• World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship: Finished T5 at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. Defeated Alvaro Quiros (20 holes), Stewart Cink (4 and 3) and Graeme McDowell (3 and 2) before falling to Matt Kuchar (2 and 1) in the quarterfinals. Became the second Korean in tournament history to advance to the quarterfinals, joining K.J. Choi (2008).
• Waste Management Phoenix Open: In his second start of the year, posted four rounds in the 60s en route to T8 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

2010 Season

Reigning PGA Championship winner posted a pair of top-10 finishes in 21 starts.

• Korea Open: Picked up his second title of the season at the Korea Open in his homeland, the second time he's won his country's national open (2006). Trailed third-round leader Noh Seung-yul by 10 strokes entering the final round but shot a 5-under 66 (six birdies and an eagle) to win by two strokes.
• PGA Championship: Missed the cut in defense of PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.
• Volvo China Open: Shot a final-round, 1-under 71 for a two-stroke victory over Welshmen Rhys Davies and Stephen Dodd in the Volvo China Open on the European Tour.
• Masters Tournament: Shot four rounds at par or better to finish T8 at the Masters. His first-round 67 was one stroke off the lead.
• Waste Management Phoenix Open: Finished T3, thanks to a final-round, 6-under 65 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Final round included three 2s, highlighted by an eagle at the par-4 10th hole where he holed a 110-yard bunker shot. Held the lead until driving into the water on the par-4 17th hole and making bogey.

2009 Season

Enjoyed a career-defining year with two wins, including The Honda Classic and PGA Championship. First Asian-born player to claim a major championship title with his win at Hazeltine in the PGA Championship, beating third-round leader Tiger Woods. Also earned a spot on his first International Team in The Presidents Cup. Ranked No. 21 in the FedExCup standings following the BMW Championship to earn first career trip to the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola.

• OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup: Joined Charlie Wi in representing South Korea at the OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup.
• PGA Championship: Rallied past Tiger Woods to win the PGA Championship with a series of spectacular shots on the back nine. Woods was 14-0 when he was atop the leaderboard going into the final round of a major. "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 said through an interpreter. "The worst that I could do was just lose to Tiger. So I really had nothing much at stake." Trailed Woods by two entering the final round, then chipped in from 60 feet for eagle on the short par-4 14th to take the lead by one. Clinging to a one-shot lead on the final hole, with a tree slightly blocking his view of the flag and Woods in the fairway, hit the shot of his life. His 3-iron hybrid cleared a bunker and settled 12 feet away where he made birdie to seal the win. He closed with a 2-under 70 for a three-stroke victory over Woods, who shot a final-round 75, his worst score ever in the final round of the major when he was in the last group. Finished at 8-under 280 and won $1.35 million, along with a five-year exemption on the PGA TOUR and the majors. He became the first player since John Daly in 1991 to win the PGA Championship after going to Q-School the previous year. Received a congratulatory phone call from South Korea President Lee Myung-bak and met former U.S. President George W. Bush the following week near his Dallas home.
• Buick Open: Bogey-free 67 in final round of the Buick Open earned a fifth-place finish, his best since the Honda victory.
• The Honda Classic: Shot a final-round, 2-under-par 68 to win The Honda Classic by one stroke over John Rollins for his first PGA TOUR victory. Took command with three straight birdies on the front nine. Came to the par-5 finishing hole with a one-stroke lead after a bogey on the 17th. He two-putted for par from 50 feet to seal the win at 9-under 271. The victory qualified him for the following week's World Golf Championships-CA Championship at Doral and the 2009 Masters.

2008 Season

Made 17 cuts in 23 starts on the PGA TOUR, his second year on TOUR.

• PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament: Earned full exemption for 2009 via the 2008 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament where he successfully made it through the final two stages to earn his card. At PGA West in La Quinta, CA., posted five of six rounds in the 60s to finish T18. He was one of 14 rookies to come out of the 2007 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament.
• AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am: His best finish was a T9 at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

2007 Season

Had played in 14 TOUR events over the years and made eight cuts, including five of nine in 2007. Had three top-25 finishes on the European Tour, all T21s.

• PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament: Tied for sixth in the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament.
• Masters Tournament: Best finish was a T30 at the Masters.

2006 Season

• HSBC Champions: Posted Asian Tour victory at the HSBC Champions (co-sanctioned event with the European Tour). The latter victory was worth a career-best $833,000 and came by two strokes over Tiger Woods. Win was worth full status on the European Tour and moved him into the top 40 at the time in the Official World Golf Ranking. Victory made him just the second Korean player to win on the European Tour, joining K.J. Choi. Four-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour, with his most recent victory coming at the 2006 Suntory Open in September, thanks to a final-round 63.
• Korea Open: Posted Asian Tour victory at the Korea Open in a field which included Retief Goosen.

2005 Season

• Coca-Cola Tokai Classic: Won the Coca-Cola Tokai Classic on the Japan Golf Tour.

2004 Season

• Shinhan Korea Golf Championship: First-round 66 had him one stroke off the lead in the Shinhan Korea Golf Championship, a PGA TOUR-affiliated event. Third-round 80 dropped him out of contention. Finished T11 behind winner Arron Oberholser.
• Asahi-Ryokuken Yomiuri Memorial: Won the Asahi-Ryokuken Yomiuri Memorial.
• Sun Chlorella Classic: Won the Sun Chlorella Classic.

1997 Season

Rookie of the Year on the Korean Tour.

Q SCHOOL GRADUATE

• PGA TOUR: 2007
• PGA TOUR: 2008