Sung Kang didn’t have the standing to get in one other full yr on the PGA Tour, so he appeared elsewhere. He discovered the Bahamas and Bahrain. He went as far south as Argentina, as far north as Denmark. He performed at sea degree and within the Alps.
He has realized lots this yr, comparable to this nugget for anybody curious.
“Singapore to Houston is admittedly far,” Kang mentioned early Tuesday in South Korea, the 18th nation he has performed on this yr. He was coping with jet lag from the 6,400-mile (10,300-kilometer) flight to Seoul from the Andalucia Masters alongside the southern coast of Spain.
Kang was referring to a visit in late March. He missed the lower within the Singapore Traditional on the DP World Tour and flew to Texas the subsequent day so he might arrive in time for a Monday qualifier on the Houston Open. He shot 67 to get in after which missed the lower.
Subsequent cease: Savannah, Georgia, for a Korn Ferry Tour occasion.
Such are the lengths — closing in on 100,000 miles (160,000 km) within the air this yr — the 37-year-old Kang was keen to journey from his residence in Dallas simply to maintain taking part in, hold grinding, hold looking, all with hopes of discovering his sport and a path again to full standing on the PGA Tour.
It’s an extended street than he imagined.
He’s taking part in his thirty third match of the season this week within the Genesis Championship in his native South Korea, his 14th begin on the European tour. He performed 13 instances on the Korn Ferry Tour and 6 instances on the PGA Tour, both as a Monday qualifier or a previous champion from having gained the Byron Nelson in 2019.
That doesn’t embrace qualifying for the U.S. Open, which led to one of many shorter commutes. Kang performed a Korn Ferry Tour occasion in South Carolina the week earlier than going to Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina.
“I’ve by no means finished something like this,” Kang mentioned. “I’ve traveled greater than I’ve in my life. I’ve been to South America, to the Center East. After I was on the KPGA (Korea), it was extra driving. After I got here to the PGA Tour in 2011, it was principally within the U.S. However nowhere near this. My primary objective is get the tour card again. I had no alternative.”
It was nearly a yr in the past to the day when the European tour supplied such an possibility.
A strategic alliance permits for the main 10 gamers from the European tour (not already exempt) to get PGA Tour playing cards. In return, the European tour final October supplied membership to anybody on the PGA Tour who completed between No. 126 and No. 200 within the FedExCup.
Kang, who performed 10 full seasons on the PGA Tour, had his worst yr. He completed at No. 193.
The caveat was not more than 5 gamers from this new class might play any given week on the European tour if there was room for them. There weren’t many takers.
Jonas Blixt of Sweden, who completed at No. 197, took the supply and has performed completely on the European tour. The Genesis Championship in South Korea can be his twenty third begin on the Outdated World circuit this yr. Dylan Frittelli (No. 160) was one other. He gained in Bahrain in early February and has stayed primarily on the European tour ever since.
For all of the journey, Kang’s sport just isn’t anyplace near the place he needs it. He missed the lower in all however certainly one of his Korn Ferry Tour begins. His solely lower on the PGA Tour was on the Byron Nelson. He made solely 5 cuts on the European tour — Qatar, Prague, Denmark, Madrid and the Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship in Scotland.
He felt his quick sport carried him when he struggled together with his iron sport. As soon as he lastly began hitting it higher, he felt he was out of shape on so many 15- to 20-foot putts. All of the whereas, he had bother patching collectively a sequence of fine scores.
“This yr has been so bizarre,” Kang mentioned, making a press release that may cowl quite a lot of territory.
He has no regrets concerning the resolution. Kang mentioned the Korn Ferry Tour represents a shift within the sport from when he performed that developmental circuit a decade in the past. The gamers are youthful, longer, extra athletic. The scoring sometimes was so low he felt he ought to attempt his hand in Europe.
Neither has gone nicely, aside from the surroundings.
Kang had by no means been to Europe outdoors the U.Ok. His favourite metropolis was Prague. Essentially the most lovely surroundings was a practice from Zurich to Crans Montana in Switzerland. The most important shock? Per week of attractive climate in Scotland throughout the Dunhill.
The worst of it was time away, particularly with three youngsters – a 6-year-old, a 2 1/2-year-old and the youngest born 5 months in the past.
“I’m lacking them rising up,” Kang mentioned.
Maybe that’s one silver lining of poor outcomes” He goes residence each time he misses the lower and he’s inside 1,000 miles or so of Dallas.
All that, and his future stays simply as unsure.
He gained’t have that European possibility subsequent yr from having accrued solely minimal FedExCup factors from the one lower he made on the PGA Tour.
“I’ve to discover a place to play subsequent yr,” Kang mentioned. “There’s no assure what number of I’ll get in on the PGA Tour. I would like some kind of backup. Hopefully, I gained’t journey as a lot.”
The journey has been tiring, however he says his vitality degree is ok on the golf course. For now, he’s not finished attempting. He has the Genesis Championship this week, and his plan is one other Monday qualifier on the PGA Tour in two weeks in Mexico.
After a yr like this, December most likely can’t get right here quickly sufficient.
Or possibly not.
“Q-College is the primary week of December,” he mentioned.
