Exempt status

• PGA TOUR: 9. Winners of PGA TOUR co-sponsored or approved tournaments, whose victories are considered official, within the last two seasons, or during the current season; winners receive an additional season of exemption for each additional win, up to five seasons:

JOINED TOUR

• PGA TOUR: 2011
• Korn Ferry Tour: 2011

PGA TOUR Victories (1)

• 2019 AT&T Byron Nelson

International Victories (2)

• 2013 CJ Invitational Hosted by K.J. Choi [OneAsia]
• 2013 Kolon Korea Open [OneAsia]

Personal

• Favorite professional team is the Los Angeles Lakers.
• Favorite food is kalbee.
• Attended Namju High School in Jeju, Korea.
• Dream foursome would include Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.
• Has played on the Korean PGA, Asian PGA, One Asia and Japan Golf Tours.

Special Interests

• Watching movies

Career Highlights

2019 Season

Won the AT&T Byron Nelson for his first career PGA TOUR victory and qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, advancing to the BMW Championship for the second time and finishing the season No. 45 in the FedExCup standings. Represented the first top-50 result in the FedExCup of his career. Earned four top-10s and made 17 cuts in 27 starts.

• PGA Championship: Recorded first career top-10 in a major with a seventh-place result at the PGA Championship. Led the field in Scrambling (74.07%).
• AT&T Byron Nelson: Won first PGA TOUR title at the AT&T Byron Nelson, defeating Matt Every and Scott Piercy by two strokes. Victory came in his 159th start at the age of 31 years, 11 months, 8 days. Second-round 61 tied Marc Leishman's opening score from 2018 for low 18-hole score in the first two years at Trinity Forest Golf Club. Score of 126 through two rounds was the 35th opening 36-hole score of 126 or better in PGA TOUR history. Became the 10th Korean-born player to win on TOUR and the second at the AT&T Byron Nelson (Sangmoon Bae/2013).
• Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard: As one of the top three finishers inside the top 10 not otherwise eligible for The Open Championship, earned a spot in the field at Royal Portrush with his T6 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. Made birdie-or-better on 12 of the 16 par 5s, tied with Roger Sloan for best in the field.
• Sony Open in Hawaii: Closed the Sony Open in Hawaii with a birdie-birdie-eagle stretch for a 6-under 64, finishing T10 and eight strokes behind champion Matt Kuchar. Represented 10th career top-10. Had missed the cut in four prior starts at the event.

2018 Season

Advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs for a third consecutive season. Season was highlighted by two third-place showings, one which came in Asia in the fall. Posted his low score of the season, 64, twice during the Quicken Loans National.

• THE NORTHERN TRUST: Entered the FedExCup Playoffs at No. 104 in the standings. Finished 75th at THE NORTHERN TRUST to end his season after the first FedExCup Playoffs event at No. 111 in the FedExCup.
• Quicken Loans National: Posted two 64s (second and final rounds) to finish solo-third at the Quicken Loans National. Earned second consecutive top-five at the event after missing the cut in each of his first two starts. The third-place result earned him a berth to The Open Championship, his lone major start of the season.
• CIMB Classic: With a T3 at the CIMB Classic, recorded his best finish on the PGA TOUR since being runner-up at the 2017 Shell Houston Open. Carded an under-par score in each round, including a 7-under 65 in round three.

2017 Season

For the first time in his PGA TOUR career, advanced to the third FedExCup Playoffs event, finishing T53 at the BMW Championship and a career-best No. 59 in the FedExCup. Closed out the season with career-best totals in made cuts (20), top-10 finishes (3) and top-25 finishes (8).

• Quicken Loans National: Made the cut for the first time in three starts at the Quicken Loans National, finishing T5 at 4-under 276 (three strokes shy of the Kyle Stanley-Charles Howell III playoff). With the tournament once again part of The Open Qualifying Series, earned his ticket to the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale as one of the top four finishers (not otherwise eligible) among the top 12 and ties.
• Valero Texas Open: Overcame a 2-over 74 in round three of the Valero Texas Open with a 68 in Sunday's final round at TPC San Antonio to finish T6 with three others at 7-under 281.
• Shell Houston Open: Entered the final round of the Shell Houston Open leading Rickie Fowler by three stokes, his first-ever 54-hole lead on TOUR. Finished alone in second after an even-par 72 in the final round. Earlier in the week, tied the course record with a second-round 63 to take a six-shot lead heading to the weekend. His 16-under 128 total broke the 36-hole tournament record by one and current course record by three (132). In the second round, made 196'8" of putts, the third most in tournament history. Made six putts outside 20 feet in the second round, a new ShotLink record (since 1983). The runner-up marked his first on the PGA TOUR.

2016 Season

Advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs for the first time in his career on the strength of two top-10s in addition to four top-25s, ending the Wyndham Championship at No. 122 in the FedExCup Standings. Ended his season ranked No. 96.

• The Barclays: One hour after Johnson Wagner fired a final-round 64 (-7) at Bethpage Black during The Barclays, did the same to finish T18 in the opening FedExCup Playoffs event and match the course record at Bethpage Black.
• The Honda Classic: Following his performance at the Northern Trust Open, finished T10 at The Honda Classic, marking the first time in his career he recorded back-to-back top-10s.
• Northern Trust Open: A week after shooting a course-record 60 at Monterey Peninsula CC during the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, carded a 6-under 65 to finish T8 at the Northern Trust Open with a 10-under 274 total in his second start at The Riviera Country Club and first since 2012. Had Mike "Fluff" Cowan on his bag.

2015 Season

Finished the Korn Ferry Tour season with 21 starts, one runner-up, one third-place finish, four top-10s, five top-25s and 12 cuts made. Was 43rd in the final priority-ranking order. Closed the Regular Season with two missed cuts and a T34 but wrapped up his 2015-16 PGA TOUR card finishing 22nd on the money list. In May, recorded a pair of T8 finishes, in his home country on the OneAsia Tour.

• Web.com Tour Championship: Finished 65th at the Web.com Tour Championship.
• Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship: Was T61 at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals.
• Small Business Connection Championship at River Run: Skipped the Small Business Connection Championship at River Run in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals.
• Hotel Fitness Championship: In the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, opened with a T37 at the Hotel Fitness Championship.
• Digital Ally Open: The next week in Kansas City, fired 67-67-65-65 to place T3 and improve to 17th on the money list.
• Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank: For the second year in a row, finished second at the Utah Championship. Was the only player in the field with four rounds in the 60s at the GC at Thanksgiving Point. Began the final round two shots behind leader Patton Kizzire. Momentarily took the lead after two holes on Sunday. Made a charge on the back nine to finish with a 5-under 67 to force a playoff with Kizzire. Had chances to win in both regulation and on the first playoff hole, but his putts didn't drop. Missed a 25-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole and watched as Kizzire made a 3-footer for the win.
• Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft Nabisco: In July, added a top 10 in Idaho. Shot 67-64 on the weekend at the Albertsons Boise Open for a T7.
• S K Telecom Open: Finished T8 at the S K Telecom Open.
• The 34th GS Caltex Maekyung Open: Finished T8 at The 34th GS Caltex Maekyung Open.
• El Bosque Mexico Championship: In his fifth start of the year, was T21 heading into the third round of the El Boqsue Mexico Championship. Moved up the leaderboard to T6 Saturday on the strength of a third-round 68. A final-round 69 ensured a T6 finish.

2014 Season

Played in 16 Korn Ferry Tour events, making seven cuts. Had one top-10 and four top-25s. Missed the cut in his last five tournaments, including the four Korn Ferry Tour Finals. Finished the Regular Season 64th in earnings. Made three cuts in four Asian PGA Tour starts.

• Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank: Season highlight came in July at Utah Championship, where he shot rounds of 67-65-67-68 to T2 with Travis Bertoni and Adam Crawford, four shots behind winner Andres Gonzales. It was his second Tour runner-up (2011 BMW Charity Pro-Am).
• The Championship at Laguna National: T20 in May at The Championship Laguna was his best outing on the Asian tour.

2013 Season

Made the cut in 11 of 21 Korn Ferry Tour starts and had three top-25 finishes. Missed his last four cuts to drop out of contention for the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, finishing 86th in Regular Season earnings.

• Kolon Korea Open: Won a second consecutive tournament, this time in unlikely, unique circumstances. Trailed by two shots going down the stretch at the Kolon Korea Open, but when rules officials decided leader Kim Hyung-tae had illegally grounded his club (and issued a two-stroke penalty), it dropped Kim into a T2. The second consecutive victory left him with mixed emotions. "I'm a really good friend of [Kim], so at the moment it doesn't feel great. Even though I won the tournament, I just feel really sorry for him. I was actually out [near the 18th green] to celebrate for him," he said.
• KJ Choi Invitational: Shot rounds of 68-69-69-70 at the CJ Invitational Hosted by K.J. Choi and cruised to a five-shot victory in mid-October on the OneAsia Tour. Was tied for sixth through 18 holes at Haesley Nine Bridges GC in his home country of South Korea. Added three more under-par rounds in Seoul to win his first international title.
• Mid-Atlantic Championship: Earned his only top-10 of the year when he T6 at the Mid-Atlantic Championship in early June. Was just one shot off the lead after 54 holes at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, but a final-round, 3-over 73 dropped him back. Finish moved him to 59th on the money list, his best position of the year.

2012 Season

Made seven cuts in 30 PGA TOUR starts, highlighted by a pair of top-30 finishes.

• Albertsons Boise Open Presented by Kraft: Made one cut in four starts on the Korn Ferry Tour, a T55 at the Albertsons Boise Open.
• Wells Fargo Championship: Best showing was a T26 at the Quail Hollow Championship, thanks to four consecutive, sub-par rounds.

2011 Season

• U.S. Open: Playing in his first U.S. Open, was T39 at Congressional CC.
• BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation: Was a playoff runner-up to Garth Mulroy at the BMW Charity Pro-Am. Fired a 2-under 69 during the final round at Thornblade Club to join Mulroy at 18-under par and force the Tour's first playoff this season. Handed Mulroy the win when he missed a short putt for par on the first extra hole. Was making his first career start on the PGA Tour and was attempting to become only the 13th player in Tour history to win in his initial start.

2009 Season

• Ballentine's Championship: Finished runner-up to Thongchai Jaidee at the 2009 Ballantine's Championship.

Amateur Highlights

• Competed in U.S. Amateur Public Links, reached U.S. Junior Amateur semifinals and the finals of the Japan Amateur. Won the Korea Junior. Earned gold medal in the Asian Games.