“As detached as a monk”… Jang Myung-jong and Park Sae-rom win the 6th round of the JGAK Junior Golf Series

The 46g golf ball is mysterious. If you get greedy, you’ll head to the wrong place. He must be calm. Fire and pride are prohibited. You have to empty your mind to hear ‘words’. Golfers are, at first glance, monks.

Up to 123 ‘young monks’ gathered in one place. The 6th round of the 2023 Junior Golf Series hosted by the Junior Golf Association of Korea (JGAK) concluded successfully at Baekje Country Club in Buyeo, South Chungcheong Province on the 19th.

Youth golfers from all over the country competed for the top spot on the scoreboard. All six divisions divided into men’s and women’s and elementary, middle and high schools were closely contested.

Jang Myeong-jong (Grade 2, Daejeon Bang Tong High School), who won the men’s high school division by submitting a 1-under par 71, said, “I thought I wouldn’t be able to hit today (the 19th) because the fog was so bad, but I was surprised that the result was better than I expected.” He added, “It was the best to play with an empty mind.” “I think I did it,” he said with a grin.

He chose Colin Morikawa (USA) as his role model. “I first saw him three years ago, and it’s really cool to hit the ball (into the hole) with an iron shot as well as a tee shot,” he said, admiring the senior golfer who has reached the level of a golf expert.

▲ Players who won the 6th round of the 2023 Junior Golf Series are taking a commemorative photo.

Park Sae-rom (Yeongdong Industrial Science High School Grade 2) won the women’s high school trophy with a 1-under par 71 that day. With a razor-blade putt, she beat Lee Seung-min and Kim Do-ah and climbed to the top of the podium.

“I was worried about my strong shot, but I made a good putt and was able to win,” he said. “I think this is the charm of golf. In golf, even if the previous shot is shaky, you can make up for it by getting a birdie (with a putt). You have to play it until the end to find out.” “It’s attractive because it’s a sport that can be done,” he said, shyly revealing his opinion.

Da-yeon Ko (2nd year of Bibong Middle School) topped the middle school women’s division with 3 under par and 69 strokes. In just the first half of the round, she lost three strokes, widening the gap to the second-place group.

Ko Da-yeon, who cited “the pleasure of hitting the ball in the hole” as the charm of golf, is a prepared golfer who also pays attention to her diet early on.메이저놀이터

She said, “If I ate salty or spicy food the day before the competition, my body would swell and my shots would be difficult. So, since the beginning of this year, I have been eating light and sleeping,” and she smiled brightly, adding, “Last night, I ate shabu-shabu and slept.”

In addition, Kim Soo-hyun (13) swept the boys’ middle school division with a 1-over-par 73, and Kim Hwa-pyeong (Canaan Academy 6th) and Park Jeong-yeon (Mabuk Elementary School 6th) took first place in the men’s and women’s elementary divisions.

▲ JGAK is a non-profit organization created to foster top-level male and female professional golfers and create an environment in which elementary, middle, and high school golfers compete fairly.

JGAK is a non-profit organization created to foster top-level male and female professional golfers and create an environment in which elementary, middle, and high school golfers compete fairly.

We hold a national junior competition every month and are committed to nurturing domestic prospects by providing scholarship support for golf specialties and developing educational programs.

Baekje Country Club, where the JGAK tournament is held, is called the ‘junior golf mecca.’ At Baekje CC, the Jump Tour (Part 3), known as the gateway to becoming a star in the Korean Ladies Professional Golf (KLPGA), is held. Starting next year, the KLPGA Associate Member Selection Competition will also be held.

Participating in the JGAK tournament is expected to provide a significant growth spurt for youth golfers as they can experience the professional stage in advance.

JGAK has decided to hold the competition at the Monarch Country Club in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province, which opened last July. This is the stage where the ‘Dream Tour’, the second part of the KLPGA tour, is held.

Starting with the JGAK competition, junior golfers can participate in the KLPGA Associate Member Selection Tournament, Jump Tour, and Dream Tour, thereby laying the foundation for them to grow into star players.

JGAK Executive Director Noh Hyun-wook said, “We are holding competitions every month so that youth golfers can gain more (practical) experience. Participation in competitions by elementary, middle, and high school players who dream of becoming the next Park In-bee and Kim Joo-hyung is also explosively increasing.” He added, “Numerous golf officials are “The JGAK competition, which is attracting attention, is already showing prospective stars. Junior golfers will be able to check their skills and lay the foundation for growing into top players,” he said.

JGAK announced the schedule for the next competition early on. Two competitions are held in October alone.

The 7th and 8th rounds of the Junior Golf Series will be held sequentially on the 4th and 30th-31st of next month to help young golfers gain rich practical experience at close range.