Exempt status

• PGA TOUR: 22. Major Medical Extension: If granted by the Commissioner, if not otherwise eligible, and if needed to fill the field, Special Medical Extension.
• Korn Ferry Tour: 19. PGA TOUR members who are not eligible for the PGA TOUR event occurring simultaneously with this event.

JOINED TOUR

• PGA TOUR: 2012

PGA TOUR Victories (1)

• 2014 Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Korn Ferry Tour Victories (1)

• 2013 Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship

International Victories (2)

• 2008 Midea China Classic [Asia]
• 2010 Maybank Malaysian Open [Asia]

Personal

• Began playing golf at age 7. His dad bought him a junior set of golf clubs. He hit balls on the beach near his home in Seoul before school and then spent hours at the driving range after his studies were over for the day. Also played tennis, soccer and baseball before turning his sole attention to golf.
• Attended Kyung-gi High School in Seoul.
• Favorite pro team is Manchester United. Favorite show is "Unlimited Challenge," a popular program in South Korea.
• Supports the Korea University Hospital.

Special Interests

• Movies, meeting friends

Career Highlights

2018 Season

Made his only start of the season at THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES, finishing T36. Began his mandatory two-year military commitment for South Korea, required of all males in South Korea between the ages of 18 and 35. Was granted Major Medical Extension with 26 available starts to earn 359 FedExCup points. Earned 18 points at Nine Bridges (No. 125 Seamus Power collected 377 for the season).

2017 Season

Advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs for a fourth time on the strength of seven top-25 finishes, three of which were top-10 showings.

• South Korean military: In November 2017, began a two-year mandatory military commitment in South Korea. Upon his return to the PGA TOUR, will be eligible for a "mandatory obligation" exemption under the major medical and family crisis exemption.
• THE NORTHERN TRUST: A missed cut at THE NORTHERN TRUST, the first of four FedExCup Playoffs events, resulted in an end to his season at No. 110 in the final standings.
• Wells Fargo Championship: Despite a 74 in the second round, finished T5 at the Wells Fargo Championship, three shots behind winner Brian Harman. Marked his second top-10 in four starts in the event.
• AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Birdied the final two holes to jump into the top 10 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, finishing T8 with rounds of 68-71-69-70. Held a share of the 18-hole lead in the weather-delayed event. Previous-best finish in four starts at Pebble Beach was T19 in 2014.
• Sanderson Farms Championship: In his third start at the Sanderson Farms Championship, posted four sub-par scores at the Country Club of Jackson to claim a share of eighth place with Grayson Murray and Graham DeLaet at 13-under 275.

2016 Season

Advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs for the third time in five years. Earned the final spot (No. 125) following the Wyndham Championship, but was unable to make a charge with a missed cut at The Barclays leaving him in that same spot. Season included 16 made cuts in 28 starts, with five top-25 finishes.

• FedEx St. Jude Classic: In his 20th start of the season, recorded one bogey and six birdies during the first round of the FedEx St. Jude Classic to post a 5-under 65 and share the first-round lead. Followed with rounds of 72-67-69 to finish T7 marking his third top-10 in four starts at the FedEx St. Jude Classic. The finish also earned him a spot in The Open Championship field via the Open Qualifying Series, where he went on to miss the cut. 2014-15: Made 13 of 21 PGA TOUR cuts, with just one top-10 to finish No. 134 in the FedExCup standings. Was No. 127 in the FedExCup standings entering the Wyndham Championship but could not play due to back pain and consequently dropped in the standings and missed the FedExCup Playoffs.

2015 Season

Made 13 of 21 PGA TOUR cuts, with just one top-10 to finish No. 134 in the FedExCup standings. Was No. 127 in the FedExCup standings entering the Wyndham Championship but could not play due to back pain and consequently dropped in the standings and missed the FedExCup Playoffs.

• FedEx St. Jude Classic: Closed the FedEx St. Jude Classic with a bogey-free 65 to finish T3 alongside Phil Mickelson, Michael Thompson, Matt Jones and Brooks Koepka at TPC Southwind.

2014 Season

Among 20 made cuts in 27 starts was his first career PGA TOUR victory. Made a return to the FedExCup Playoffs for a second time, where he finished No. 35 in the FedExCup standings after a T23 at the BMW Championship.

• Kolon Korea Open: Playing on the OneAsia Tour in late-November 2014, finished runner-up to countryman Seung Hyuk Kim at the Kolon Korea Open. Shot rounds of 73-71-71 to start the event at Woo Jeong Hills CC. Fashioned a final-round, 2-under 69 that left him at even-par at the fog-delayed event that necessitated a Monday finish. Closing effort wasn't enough to catch Kim, who was the only player to finish the tournament under-par.
• Deutsche Bank Championship: Posted four rounds at par or better (69-68-68-70) to finish T9 at the Deutsche Bank Championship, jumping 11 spots from No. 47 to No. 36 in the FedExCup standings.
• U.S. Open: Was a tri-medalist at the U.S. Open sectional qualifying event in Columbus, Ohio, in early June. Shot a 68 at Brookside G&CC and a 69 at Scioto CC to tie with Justin Leonard and Justin Thomas to earn his first U.S. Open invite since 2011 and third overall.
• Zurich Classic of New Orleans: In his 78th career PGA TOUR start, posted first- and third-round, 7-under 65s at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans to claim his first PGA TOUR win. Was the only player to remain bogey-free through 54 holes at TPC Louisiana, as he became the 14th player since 1990 to make the Zurich Classic of New Orleans his first win. With the title, became the first player outside Australia and the United States to win on TOUR in 2013-14. Through the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, 19 of the 24 TOUR wins had come from U.S.-born players. Australians had won four (Jason Day at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, John Senden at the Valspar Championship, Steven Bowditch at the Valero Texas Open and Matt Jones at the Shell Houston Open). Also with the win, earned a spot into THE PLAYERS Championship field two weeks later. Remembered the victims of the South Korean ferry tragedy earlier in the month by wearing a ribbon on his hat all week.
• Farmers Insurance Open: First of three top-10 finishes came with a T10 at the Farmers Insurance Open, following rounds of 68-73-72-69.

2013 Season

After a stellar rookie year on the PGA TOUR in 2012 (37th in FedExCup points), struggled with his putting during his sophomore campaign, recording just 11 made cuts in 25 starts. Season started off with T27 at the Farmers Insurance Open and T16 (Northern Trust Open) in two of his first four starts, before he reeled off a string of seven missed cuts in eight starts. Finished 160th in FedExCup points, with earnings of $391,763.

• Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship: Earned his first career win in the U.S., with a dominating, five-stroke win at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship, the third of the Tour's four Finals events. Posted a 6-under 65 in the second round at the Scarlet Course at Ohio State University and took a two-shot lead at the halfway point. Upped his lead to three shots Saturday with a 1-under 70. Pulled away from the field on the final day, with three consecutive birdies starting at No. 5. Was in command during the final round and needed only to play the final 11 holes in even par to secure the win. First-place check of $180,000 moved him to No. 1 on the Finals priority ranking. Winning margin matched the largest on Tour during the season. He became the fifth international winner on Tour and also the 14th first-time champion in 24 events.
• Hotel Fitness Championship: Posted a T7 in the first Korn Ferry Tour Finals event, the Hotel Fitness Championship. Needing a birdie to tie the tournament-course record at Sycamore Hills GC on Saturday, drove it in a water hazard on the 18th hole, settling for bogey and 64.
• Reno-Tahoe Open: Making his 32nd start since his last top-10 finish (T4 at the 2012 AT&T National), finished T7 at the Reno-Tahoe Open. With 31 points in the Modified Stableford scoring format, finished 13 points behind champion Gary Woodland.

2012 Season

Finished No. 37 in the FedExCup standings in rookie season.

• AT&T National: Established a new career-best finish in late June-early July outside Washington, D.C., when he finished T4 at the AT&T National at Congressional CC.
• FedEx St. Jude Classic: Had a T7 at the FedEx St. Jude Classic. His final-round, 4-under 66 was one of just eight sub-67 scores on the day. Birdied his first three holes Sunday en route to the 66.
• Wells Fargo Championship: Recorded his first top-10 on TOUR by finishing T9 at the Wells Fargo Championship. It came in his 25th career TOUR start.

2011 Season

Qualified for the U.S. Open and played in three other PGA TOUR events. He lost in the first round at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, was 59th at the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship and missed the cut at the Memorial Tournament. Has a trio of top-10 performances on the European Tour–a T6 at the Volvo Golf Champions, a T9 at the Volvo World Match Play Championship and a solo sixth at the Nordea Masters.

• PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament: In December, he shot a third-round 64 at PGA West in Palm Springs, Calif., to earn T3 honors at the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament.
• CJ Invitational: Battled fellow countryman K.J. Choi at the Asian Tour-Korean Tour co-sanctioned CJ Invitational in October in South Korea. Trailed Anthony Kim by five strokes entering the final round at Haesley Nine Bridges GC. Did his part by shooting a final-round 66 but fell by two strokes to a hard-charging Choi, who finished with a 67 to win by two strokes.

2010 Season

Made five PGA TOUR starts, with his top finish coming at the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, where he T28. Burst on the scene with some dominant international play, winning for the second time as a professional, capturing the Maybank Malysian Open in Kuala Lumpur by a stroke over fellow countryman K.J. Choi. The win made him the second-youngest European Tour winner in history. at 18 years, 282 days, he was 69 days older than fellow Korean Danny Lee (Johnnie Walker Classic). Matteo Manassero took over the top spot with his victory in 2010. He added top-10 finishes in four other international events. Was runner-up to Padraig Harrington at the Iskandar Johor Open at Horizon Hills G&CC in Malaysia, and added a T4 at the European Tour's Ballentine's Championship, a solo-fourth at the Omega European Masters and a T8 at the Japan Golf Tour's Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open, his second consecutive top-10 in that event. His stellar play gave him the Asian Tour Order of Merit title, making him the youngest winner of that honor in the circuit's history.

2009 Season

He had six top-10s around the world. His best Asian Tour performance was a T5 at the Worldwide Selangor Masters in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Was T9 at the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open.

2008 Season

Joined the Asian Tour as a 16-year-old and earned Asian Tour Rookie of the Year honors, thanks to his victory at the Midea China Classic, where he shot a final-round, 3-under 68 to edge Australian Terry Pilkadaris. His victory made him the third-youngest Asian Tour winner in history. Added back-to-back-to-back runner-up performances in the SAIL Open Golf Championship, the Asian Tour International and the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in his next three Asian Tour starts to finish 11th on the Order of Merit.

Q SCHOOL GRADUATE

• PGA TOUR: 2011