Jang Yu-bin of Korea tees off on the second gap throughout the first spherical of LIV Golf Korea at Jack Nicklaus Golf Membership Korea in Incheon, Could 2. Yonhap
Korean golfer Jang Yu-bin introduced Tuesday he’ll return to the home tour subsequent yr after an unsuccessful lone season in LIV Golf.
In a press release launched by his Seoul-based company, All That Sports activities, Jang mentioned he is not going to enter the LIV Golf Promotions, the annual qualifying event for the renegade tour, and can as an alternative rejoin the Korea PGA (KPGA) Tour for 2026, whereas additionally enjoying some Asian Tour occasions.
In December 2024, Jang turned the primary Korean to hitch LIV Golf, which is financed by the Public Funding Fund (PIF), the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia. He performed on Iron Heads GC, considered one of 13 groups in LIV Golf, alongside Korean American captain Kevin Na and Korean-born Kiwi Danny Lee.
After every season, gamers who end forty ninth or decrease are relegated from LIV Golf and are launched from their groups. Jang, regardless of excessive expectations because the reigning KPGA Tour Participant of the Yr, by no means discovered his footing on the brand new tour and completed 53rd within the standings in 2025. In 13 tournaments, Jang didn’t have a top-10 end.
Whereas Jang was among the many longest hitters in LIV Golf, he ranked close to the underside in fairways hit share, placing common and scrambling.
His on-course struggles apart, Jang, 23, described his LIV Golf season as “an essential asset for my enjoying profession.”
“I believe crucial factor for me now could be to return to the fundamentals and deal with every event on the KPGA Tour,” Jang mentioned. “I’ll attempt to take incremental steps on the KPGA and Asian excursions to get higher, after which I’ll look to problem myself on a good greater stage once I really feel I’m prepared to take action.”
Jang apparently hinted at taking a crack on the PGA Tour down the highway. He had been scheduled to enter the PGA Tour’s qualifying event final December earlier than withdrawing on the final minute to hitch LIV Golf. If he had signed up for the LIV Golf Promotions this yr, then Jang would have been topic to a one-year suspension from all PGA Tour-sanctioned occasions.
By advantage of successful the 2024 KPGA Participant of the Yr award, Jang has a five-year exemption on the Korean circuit. He additionally has eligibility to play on the Asian Tour for 2026.
LIV Golf, which has efficiently lured a number of the PGA Tour’s greatest names since its launch in 2022, has been making an attempt to poach one other Korean participant this winter. Two veterans, Kim Si-woo and Im Sung-jae, have each shut down rumors linking them to LIV Golf.
