`Low-profile` Caddie Helps Yang to 1st PGA Win

Yang Yong-eun, nicknamed “Wild Horse,” hugged his caddie A.J. Montezinos after winning the PGA Honda Classic.

Meeting in December last year when Yang was applying for Q-school, the two began to work together from the Buick International last month. They won in their fourth tournament together.

The low-profile caddie was born to a Spanish-American father and Italian-American mother. He played golf in college but was hardly promising.

Yang nicknamed Montezinos “Mr. Bean” because of his resemblance to the British comedic character.

Montezinos used written memos to inform Yang about distance. Yang is not fluent in English, so his caddie assists him when the golfer asks questions in broken English such as “What thinking?”

Reportedly a big fan of the Korean food bulgogi (marinated grilled beef) because of his association with Yang, the caddie will receive a bonus of 100,000 U.S. dollars, or 10 percent of Yang’s prize money at the Honda Classic.

Montezinos said, “I can pay off my debt and buy a new car. I read an article that said if you want to realize your dream, help someone achieve his or her dream. I did that.”

kjs0123@donga.com