Kim Joo-hyung becomes the first PGA winner born after 2000

Kim Joo-hyung has become the second youngest PGA tour winner. He now holds a record for the youngest South Korean golfer to win a PGA tour. He won the Wyndham Championship, which ended on Monday at Greensboro Sedgefield Country Club in North Carolina, by shooting a 20-under 260. This is his first PGA tour win. He earned 1.314 million dollars as prize money.

Kim who was born on June 21, 2002 held up a trophy at the age of 20 years, one month, and 17 days and became the second youngest PGA tour winner. The first place record is held by Jordan Spieth who won the 2013 John Deere Classic at the age of 19 years, 11 months, and 17 days. Kim Joo-hyung also broke the record of the youngest South Korean golfer to have on a PGA tour, which was previously held by Kim Si-woo. Kim Si-woo won the Wyndham Championship in August 2016 at the age of 21 years, one month, and 25 days. This is also the first time that a golfer born after 2000 has won a PGA tour.

As the PGA tour delivered the news of Kim’s win, it announced that Gen Z has arrived. Gen Z refers to those born from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s. “I have been waiting for a win for a long time and did not expect it to come this suddenly,” Kim said. “I think it is more meaningful that I set a new record for the PGA tour.”


Hong-Gu Kang windup@donga.com