A U.S. golf course adds Korean food to its menus

The Tournament Players Club (TPC) at Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida is a world-renowned golf course where the annual Players Championship, the PGA Tour's unofficial "fifth major," takes place. The restaurant at the golf course has recently added a new dish dubbed "Siwoo's Kimchi Short Ribs." The price is 13 U.S. dollars.

South Korean professional golfer Kim Si-woo became the youngest winner in the Players Championship's history last year. It is the tournament's tradition to allow the previous year's champion to select a menu. It is called the "champion's menu."

Kim selected galbi (beef short ribs) and kimchi that are representative of Korean cuisine. He had his tasting event at the restaurant last month, giving a thumbs-up. The restaurant has offered the menu since then. Golfers participating in this year's tournament will likely enjoy it as well when the championship opens on May 10.

"I desperately want to have kimchi and galbi when I cannot have Korean food for over a week overseas," Kim said. "I am glad that I have been able to give foreign diners to enjoy the Korean taste."

Choi Kyung-ju, another South Korean golfer who grabbed the championship in 2011, selected a galbi burger as the champion's menu.

The Masters Tournament and other major championships also have the "champion's dinner," for which the previous year's winner invites former champions. Yang Yong-eun, a Korean golfer who won the 2009 PGA Championship, treated his predecessors with fusion-style Korean dishes such as sanjeok skewers and prawn with pine nuts sauce.

"I have heard that no one has ever won the Players Championship for two consecutive years," said Kim, who is ranked 30th on the PGA Tour Money List with 1.81 million dollars, the highest among South Korean golfers. "I'll take a shot at setting a new record."


Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com