Promising Korean golfer re-enters PGA Tour

Promising Korean golfer re-enters PGA Tour. October. 07, 2016 07:34. by 김종석기자 kjs0123@donga.com. Kim Meen-whee, often called the future of Korean golf, will re-enter the U.S. PGA Tour. The 24-year-old golfer has secured a ticket to the 2016-2017 PGA Tour based on the prize money ranking as of last week, as the Web.com Tour Championship to be held in Florida on Thursday was canceled due to Hurricane Matthew.

The Web.com Tour Championship, the PGA Tour's secondary circuit, allows top 25 rankers in the regular season and top 25 prize money winners in four finals competitions to participate in the main event. Kim won a ticket as the 37th ranker among the 50 participants.

Kim, who played in the PGA Tour last season, was eliminated in 13 qualifiers among 27 competitions, finishing 127th in the FedEx Cup. Having failed to be among the top 125 rankers who received tickets to the PGA Tour, Kim prepared to take off for a return to the PGA Tour.

He had to drive for five hours to Atlanta, Georgia after his flight was canceled. “I was very disappointed when I lost a ticket to the PGA Tour by a small margin. Now I am very happy to be able to have another shot,” he said. “I have greater expectations for my next season, as my shots are stable and my putting senses have been recovered.”

Having made his way out of a crossroads between staying on the PGA Tour and getting demoted, Kim will compete in the Safeway Open, which opens the PGA Tour’s 2016-2017 season. The championship was also where Tiger Woods made a comeback. “It seems that I have finished adapting to the PGA Tour. I really want to have my first victory after all the hard work,” he said.