YE Yang to play in NZ Open

Korea’s YE Yang, the first Asianborn male golfer to win a major, will play at the New Zealand Open in Queenstown next March.

Organisers confirmed that Yang, known as ‘The Tiger Killer’ after his victory over Tiger Woods at the 2009 US PGA Championship, will compete at the ISPS Handa New Zealand Open to be staged at Millbrook Resort and The Hills.

Yang, who has enjoyed 11 victories as a professional over the last two decades, has amassed more than NZ$15 million in prizemoney around the globe, having played on the PGA Tour, the European Tour, the Japan Golf Tour and the Asian Tour.

His involvement in the 98th New Zealand Open brings his career full circle, after the Korean ventured to this country for several years to hone his skills before turning professional in 1996.

Yang is self-taught, moving to New Zealand as a 21-year-old after working in the construction industry and after completing his military service.

Yang turned professional at 24 in 1996, with his breakthrough coming a decade later with his fourth win on the Japan Golf Tour followed by victory in the Korea Open and the HSBC Champions event, co-sanctioned with the European Tour.

He made his way on to the PGA Tour in 2008 but was forced to return to qualifying school the following year.

That paved the way for a remarkable 2009 with a breakthrough win at the Honda Classic. Later that year he secured a brilliant three-shot win in the 91st US PGA Championship, the first time that Woods had not won a major when leading after 54 holes.

Also confirmed for the tournament are leading New Zealand professionals Ryan Fox and Michael Hendry, both coming off their best 12 months in the game.