KPGA Tour players don shorts at Gunsan CC Open

At the first round of the Gunsan CC Open on the Korean Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Tour, held on Thursday in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, Kim Yong-tae, teeing off at 6:50 a.m. in the first group, made history by wearing shorts. This marked the first time in the 56-year history of the KPGA Tour that a player donned shorts during a regular tournament.

According to KPGA Tour rules, players are permitted to wear shorts during pro-am and practice rounds from June to September. Shorts can also be worn in regular tournaments if the organizers grant permission. "With the hot and humid weather expected during the tournament, we decided to allow players to wear shorts for this event," the Gunsan CC Open organizing committee announced the day before.

The KPGA Tour has specific guidelines for wearing shorts: tops must be tucked in, and the length of the shorts must be no shorter or longer than 10 cm above or below the knee. Shorts resembling tracksuits are prohibited.

The players' reactions have been positive. "It's definitely cooler and more comfortable to play in shorts," said Kim Bi-o, who frequently wears shorts on the Asian Tour, expressing hope that more players will adopt this attire in the future. Jang Yu-bin, who played in long pants, remarked, "I didn't bring shorts, but when I told my mom, she said she would bring them. I'll wear shorts from the second round." Jang also wore shorts at last year's Asian Games in Hangzhou, where she won gold.


Heon-Jae Lee uni@donga.com