US PGA Champions of the past were treated to a Korean banquet on Tuesday night courtesy of their host for the evening, YE Yang.
The defending champion Yang, who made history 12 months ago when he became the first Asian winner of a Major, hosted the dinner for 15 former champions and had the honour of selecting the menu. Fittingly he chose traditional Korean fare, co-ordinated with the help of South Korea’s First Lady, underlining the national interest in his success.
When Yang was first told he would be hosting the Champions Dinner he sought advice from a close friend who happens to be a famous singer in Korea, who introduced him to an organisation in Korea that works to promote Korean food globally.
“I’m glad and proud I was able to showcase Korean to cuisine to the champions last night,” he said. “We had the basics, the Kimchi and rice, and it consisted of a lot of popular dishes such as Kai bi, which is a kind of beef marinated in Korean barbecue sauce. Also there was an assortment of vegetables that were prepared Korean style and a desert the Koreans enjoy.”
Champions from the 1960s to present, along with PGA President Jim Remy and his wife, and Herb Kohler, Chairman and CEO of Kohler Co. were among those present.
“It was surreal to realise I was introducing Korean food to these extraordinary people and I am sure all the people in Korea are very happy that we were able to introduce our traditional cuisine to a host of wonderful people.”
Yang has become a national hero back home and soon discovered the excitement on his hometown of Jeju Island had reached fever pitch when he returned with the Wanamaker Trophy last year.
“I had about six bodyguards assigned to me and as I was walking I noticed the bodyguards couldn’t keep up with me. I was trying to figure out what was going on. And it turns out all their jackets and suits were all ripped up because there were so many fans who wanted my autograph. No one was hurt during the process, but it was kind of funny to see these big bodyguards and their clothes getting ripped up like that.”
Yang launches his defence in the company of Woods and Vijay Singh, the last winner of the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.
