Has created golfing history on both sides of the Atlantic by becoming the first Korean to win on the US PGA Tour and The European Tour. In 2002, he became the history man when he won the Compaq Classic of New Orleans - immediately donating ten per cent of his $810,000 prize cheque to underprivileged Koreans back home and to the Christian church his family attends near Houston. In 2003, on his first visit to Continental Europe, he posted a 26 under par total of 262 to win the German Masters, the first Korean golfer to win an event on The European Tour. Claimed his seventh success on the US PGA Tour early in 2008 by winning the Sony Open in Hawaii, a victory which helped him end the season in 16th place on that Tour’s 2008 Money List. Son of a rice farmer whose interest in golf grew after one of his high school teachers recommended he try the sport. Began studying videos of Jack Nicklaus and spent long hours hitting practice balls on the island's only practice range. Later studied under David Pelz and Phil Ritson.