Kyoung-Hoon Lee

Exempt status

• PGA TOUR: Top 125 in 2019-20 FedExCup standings (thru 2020-21)

JOINED TOUR

• Korn Ferry Tour: 2016
• PGA TOUR: 2019

International Victories (4)

• 2012 Nagashima Shigeo Invitational Sega Sammy Cup [Jpn]
• 2015 Honma Tourworld Cup [Jpn]
• 2015 Kolon Korea Open [OneAsia]
• 2016 Kolon Korea Open [OneAsia]

Personal

• Goes by "K.H. Lee."
• Graduated from high school in Seoul in 2010. Attended Korean Sports University, the same school as fellow 2018 Korn Ferry Tour grad Sungjae Im.
• Is an only son.
• If not a professional golfer, would be a singer. Took lessons in South Korea and considered a career as a singer. While he is shy singing in front of others, has a very good voice. Enjoys listening to rock music.
• Was a shot put athlete before taking up golf at age 13. Started golf to lose weight, but ended up falling in love with the game.
• Motto is "A rolling stone gathers no moss."
• Bucket list item is a tour around the world and riding a motorcycle.
• Started a junior golf tournament in Seoul, titled the Lee Kyoung Hoon Junior Golf Tournament held every April/May. Grew up playing junior golf tournaments and wanted to return the favor.
• Close with LPGA players Sei Young Kim and Hana Hang.

Special Interests

• Singing karoke

CURRENT YEAR HIGHLIGHTS

• Waste Management Phoenix Open: Finished T2 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, earning the first runner-up of his PGA TOUR career in his 70th start. Had a birdie putt from 33 feet, 10 inches on the 72nd hole to force a playoff with Brooks Koepka, but closed with a par to share second place with Xander Schauffele.

Career Highlights

2021 Season

• Waste Management Phoenix Open: Finished T2 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, earning the first runner-up of his PGA TOUR career in his 70th start. Had a birdie putt from 33 feet, 10 inches on the 72nd hole to force a playoff with Brooks Koepka, but closed with a par to share second place with Xander Schauffele.

2020 Season

Qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs for the second time in as many seasons on TOUR, finishing the season No. 97 in the FedExCup standings. Recorded one top-10 and made 13 cuts in 25 starts.

• The RSM Classic: Earned his first career top-five in an individual stroke-play event with a T5 at The RSM Classic. Recorded four scores in the 60s for the first time in his career. Co-led the field in Par-5 Scoring Average (4.20).

2019 Season

Was one of eight rookies to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs and ended the season No. 108 in the FedExCup standings. Recorded two top-10s and made 16 of 30 cuts.

• the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide: Held the first lead/co-lead after any round of his PGA TOUR career, standing T1 after the second round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide before finishing T37.
• Zurich Classic of New Orleans: Partnered with Matt Every in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans to finish T3. After beginning the final round (Foursomes) T22, posted a 4-under 68, including a birdie-eagle start, to move jump 19 spots on the leaderboard. Represented first top-five on the PGA TOUR.
• The Honda Classic: Recorded his first top-10 on the PGA TOUR with a T7 at The Honda Classic. Opened with three scores in the 60s to enter the final round one shot off the lead before recording a 71. Hit 50 of 72 greens, tied with three others for best in the field.

2018 Season

Finished the 2018 Korn Ferry Tour Season with three runner-up results, two additional top-10s and 16 made cuts in 25 starts. Secured his PGA TOUR card for the 2018-19 season by finishing No. 5 on the Regular Season money list. Was 15th in the final priority-ranking order.

• Wichita Open Supporting Wichita's Youth: Carded a final-round 64 at the Wichita Open for a T8. Birdied four holes in a row on his final nine to move inside the top 10.
• BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation: Carded 64-64 on the weekend at the BMW Charity Pro-Am for a T2. Birdied three of the final four holes on Sunday for his second runner-up performance this season.
• United Leasing & Finance Championship: Closed play at the United Leasing & Finance Championship with a 6-under 66 (the lowest round of the day) to finish the week at T3. Was his first made cut at Victoria National GC in three attempts.
• North Mississippi Classic: Held the 36-hole lead at the North Mississippi Classic after rounds of 69-66--135 (9-under). Posted an even-par 72 in the third round and finished the week T2 after Sunday's final round was cancelled due to heavy rain.
• Club Colombia Championship: Matched a final-round tournament record at the Club Colombia Championship with a 7-under 64 to finish the week T2, six shots back of winner Ben Taylor.

2017 Season

Finished the Regular Season at No. 47 on the money list. Recorded three top-10 finishes in 26 events. Finished the Korn Ferry Tour Finals at No. 65.

• Rex Hospital Open: Had a T3 finish at the Rex Hospital Open.

2016 Season

Made eight of 18 cuts on the Korn Ferry Tour.

• WinCo Foods Portland Open presented by Kraft Heinz: Recorded a career-best T4 finish at the WinCo Foods Portland Open presented by Kraft Heinz to move up to 78th on the Regular Season money list and secure conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour for 2017.

2015 Season

Competed on the Japan Golf Tour, playing 23 events. Made the cut 19 times, recording six top-10s, which included a win, a runner-up, a third-place finish and 11 top-25s. Also played the Korean Tour and finished No. 1 on the money list.

• Kolon Korea Open: Won the Kolon Korea Open in September, rolling to a four-shot victory over Whee Kim at Woojeong Hills CC.
• Mynavi ABC Championship: In early November, grabbed a seventh-place finish at the Mynavi ABC Championship. Ended 12th on the Tour's money list.
• Fujisankei Classic: At the Fujisankei Classic, opened with a 7-under 64 then fell back with a 74-70 showing in the second and third rounds. Came up one shot short of winner K.T. Kim despite shooting a Sunday 68.
• ANA Open: At the ANA Open, posted four rounds in the 60s (three 69s and a final-round 68) to finish three shots behind winner Ryo Ishikawa.
• Honma Tourworld Cup: His win came in October at the Honma Tourworld Cup in which he shot 71-65-65-67 to claim a one-shot victory over Ryuichi Oda, Ashun Wu, Taichi Teshima and Tomohiro Kondo.

2014 Season

Finished 24th on the Japan Golf Tour money list.

• U.S. Open: Made his major championship debut, playing in the U.S. Open at Pinehurst's No. 2 Course. He missed the cut.
• Maeil Dairies Open: T5 at the Maeil Dairies Open.
• Korean PGA Champonship: T7 at the Korean PGA Champonship.
• SK Telecom Open: On the Korean Tour, played six events, making five cuts including three consecutive top-10s, the first a sixth at the SK Telecom Open.
• Mynavi ABC Championship: Final top-10 of the year was a T8 at the Mynavi ABC Championship.
• Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup Golf: Placed a T5 at the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup Golf.
• ANA Open: Added back-to-back top-10s in the summer, the first a T8 at the ANA Open.
• PGA Championship Nissin Cupnoodles Cup: Made a nice run at victory at the PGA Championship Nissin Cupnoodles Cup. Moved into a tie for second with 18 holes to play but fell a stroke short of winner Taichi Teshima when he and Koumei Oda matched Teshima's Sunday 71 to T2.
• The Crowns: Earned an eighth-place finish at The Crowns early in the season.

2013 Season

Had one runner-up finish on the Japan Golf Tour. Finished 14th on the money list.

• Bosung Country Club Classic: Placed T5 at the Bosung Country Club Classic.
• GS Caltex Maekyung Open: In five Korean tour starts, had two top-fives, starting with a T4 at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open.
• Dunlop Phoenix: Closed the season with a T6 at the Dunlop Phoenix and a fifth-place effort at the Golf Nippon Series JT Cup.
• Heiwa PGM Championship: Contended all week at the Heiwa PGM Championship in Kasumigaura. Rounds of 66-68-70 left him tied for fifth with 18 holes to play. Despite shooting a Sunday, 2-over 73, moved into a T3 with Kazuhiro Yamashita and Han Lee, four shots short of winner Ashun Wu.
• Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open: Was ninth at the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open.
• ANA Open: Was a runner-up at the ANA Open in September. Began the final day four shots off Koumei Oda's 54-hole lead. Never really threatened Oda but did match Oda's 68 to move into a T2 with Shingo Katayama.
• Diamond Cup Golf: Was T9 again two starts later, at the Diamond Cup Golf.
• The Crowns: First top-10 of the campaign was at The Crowns, a T9, thanks to a final-round 67.

2012 Season

Finished 10th on the Japan Golf Tour money list.

• ANA Open: Placed T10 at the ANA Open.
• Fujisankei Classic: Added two additional top-10s the rest of the way, first at the Fujisankei Classic with ninth.
• Nagashima Shigeo Invitational Sega Sammy Cup: In his next start, won the Nagashima Shigeo Invitational Sega Sammy Cup, opening with a 7-under 65 and never relinquishing at least a share of the lead. Entered the final round tied with countryman Hyung Sung Kim. Rolled to victory Sunday with a closing 65 to edge Kim by two shots.
• Gate Way To The Open Mizuno Open: Next top-10 came at the Gate Way To The Open Mizuno Open. Took a share of the first-round lead after opening with a 5-under 67. Fell back with a second-round 73 but rebounded with a 68-69 finish to T5.
• PGA Championship Nissin Cupnoodles Cup: Later placed sixth at the PGA Championship Nissin Cupnoodles Cup.
• The Crowns: Added a pair of sixth-place efforts in his next two starts, the first at The Crowns.
• Tsuruya Open: First top-10 of the season began at the Tsuruya Open. After a disappointing 73 to open the tournament, shot rounds of 64-66 to enter the final round tied for third. Shot a Sunday 70 to finish runner-up to Hiroyuki Fujita, four shots behind.

Amateur Highlights

• Won the 2009 Toyota World Junior Cup.
• Won a team gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games held in China and finished fourth individually.