It is winter in South Korea and the harsh weather in the northern province of Incheon, has been driving many sports teams away to tropical places for practice.
In golf, the team of Seo Min Chul arrived last Dec. 22 to continue their training for the series of junior golf tournaments in South Korea from March to September.
Seo who played in KPGA and PGA and had won in many professional golf tournaments said this is the second year, they practice on Saipan.
“Saipan is very good in terms of weather and landscape,” Seo said adding that the golf courses on the island are even better than the courses where they competed.
“They’re PGA type,” Seo said.
Since they arrived, Seo’s team has been practicing in Coral Ocean Point, King Fisher Golflinks and Marianas Country Club.
One of the junior golfers is Bryan Kim, 17 who was born and grew up on Saipan. A student of Mount Carmel School, Kim was a 10th grader when his father, Sang Kim sent him to Korea last year to learn golf.
Kim’s father enrolled him to Seo’s SMC Academy where he joined other golfers his age.
Established in 1999, SMC Academy, Seo said has been producing best golfers in Korea.
Now with him besides, Kim are Yeom Hye In and Cho Hyung Won both 17, who won in the recent tournament in their country; Kim Ki Hyeon, 18 and Lim Hyun Jung, 21.
Fortunately, Jung had to go home after getting sick last week.
These junior golfers, Kim said had been playing in major golf tournaments in Korea for over two years now.
Kim said he played in two tournaments since he enrolled in SMC Academy.
Golf, according to Seo is now becoming a big sport in Korea. People there were inspired by Michelle Wei, Charlie Wei and PGA winners, Anthony Kim and KJ Choi.
The junior golfers are scheduled to leave next month.
