Page 23 - Golf Champion - October 2021

my swing. He was very encouraging and complimented I am usually hungry again. I will work out hard, but I will
me often and I felt good. That kept me going in golf and eat hard as well.”
he bragged to others about me, and it made me work With this week’s THE CJ CUP @ SUMMIT in Las Vegas
hard. I remember my mother was a violin teacher and being a “home” game for Lee and the other Koreans in
she tried to teach me which did not go well. When she the field – the tournament is being played outside its
asked me to practice a piece 10 times, I haphazardly did it traditional home in Korea for the second straight year
without any concentration. Golf was different. It was fun due to the pandemic – Lee hopes to hit the jackpot again
and I could go on for hours.” to get his 2021-22 Season going.
“Last season was the best and I couldn’t be more ecstatic.
Within a few years, Lee’s exceptional talents saw him It was my best year on the golf course, and we had a baby,”
being part of the gold medal Korean Team at the 2010 said Lee, who welcomed the arrival of his first child, a
Asian Games in China, which exempts him from baby girl named Celine Yuna Lee, in July with wife, Joo
mandatory military service. He turned professional Yeon Yu.
soon after and amassed two victories each on the Korean “I’m looking forward to the new season, and the goal will
Tour and Japan Golf Tour from between 2012 to 2016. He be to have another victory and getting myself into the
subsequently took the big leap of faith to America and top-50 in the world. Playing for Korea, representing the
qualified for the Korn Ferry Tour in 2016 and two years International Team in the Presidents Cup next year would
later, three runner-up results saw him secure his dream also be a huge ambition. I’m trying to focus on winning
PGA TOUR card which Lee cherishes, largely due to the and if I can get into the top-50, it would probably assure
sacrifices and support of his parents through the years. me of a spot in the Presidents Cup. I would be honored
“Like everyone else, my parents sacrificed a lot. They beyond measure to represent my country,” added the
supported me with everything. They never told me to Korean, who finished 31st on the FedExCup standings
quit even when my game was not going well. My father last season.
wanted to be a baseball player, but his parents were
against it. Since he could not do what he wanted, he 경훈의 골프 출발점을 돌이켜보면, 그는 테드 올가미 스윙
decided to support his son, me,” said Lee, who is the only 이코치와 함께 게임을 배운 뒤 PGA 투어에서 스타덤에 오르
child. 게 한 운명의 반전에 감탄할 수밖에 없다.
“He encouraged me and helped in every way possible. 지난 5월 이경훈는 AT&T 바이런 넬슨에서 우승한 후 투어에서
He was there since the beginning. We would go abroad 8번째이자 가장 최근의 한국인 우승자가 되어 그의 입지를 확고
to practice every winter and he was my chauffer to 히 했다. 그리고 이 모든 것은 포환던지기 운동선수로서 처음 체
tournaments. When my father was with me on the Korn 중 감량을 시도하는 13세의 지역 연습장으로의 첫 출발로 시작
Ferry Tour, he had a difficult time with the food. It was 되었다.
difficult to find a decent Korean or Asian restaurant in “아버지가 식당을 하셨고 옆집은 연습장이었다. 나는 재미로 그
the countryside and I remember he had his tooth pulled 를 따라 갔고 결국 레슨을 받았다. 그곳에 가서 살을 빼는 것이 주
out during one trip! They gave me everything they could, 된 동기였는데, 나는 한 번도 살을 빼지 않았다”고 10대 시절 체
and I cannot sufficiently show my appreciation.” 중계를 212파운드로 기울인 이경훈은 웃었다.
골프에 빠진 이경훈는 자체 제목의 스포츠 코미디 드라마 스트리
From a trip to the local driving range as a 13-year-old 밍 TV 시리즈에 출연한 가상의 축구 코치인 테드 라쏘에 비유할
trying to lose weight, to a PGA TOUR winner 수 있는 교육 스타일을 가진 지역 골프 프로의 고양되고 영감을
주는 방식을 통해 격려를 받았다. .
Lee is now one the most jovial golfers on the PGA TOUR, “계속한 이유는 후배들을 가르치는 프로님 덕분에 내 스윙에 대
and joked during an interview that he had two big goals 해 계속 긍정적인 피드백을 해 주셨다. 많이 격려해주시고 칭찬
in life – to become the No. 1 player in the world and the 해 주셔서 기분이 좋았다. 그것이 내가 골프를 계속하게 했고 그
sexiest golfer alive. “When I won in May, my goals went 는 다른 사람들에게 나를 자랑스러워 했고 그것이 나를 열심히
viral as many golfers were amused by this story,” he said. 하게 만들었다. 어머니가 바이올린 선생님이시면서 잘 안 되는
“Being sexy means to be a muscular guy. It’s in my dream 것을 가르쳐 주셨던 걸로 기억한다. 그녀가 나에게 10번의 곡 연
but not quite possible in reality. I want to be muscular, 습을 하라고 했을 때 나는 아무 집중도 없이 무작정 따라했다. 골
but I enjoy eating so much. For example, I try not to eat 프는 달랐다. 재미있었고 몇 시간 동안 계속할 수 있었다.”
dinner if I have a big lunch, but when dinner time comes,

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