"Practice 10 hours a day... "I'll be on top of the Asian Tour in 2025."
"Practice 10 hours a day... "I'll be on top of the Asian Tour in 2025."
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"I was just lucky."
Kim Hong-taek (32, DB Insurance, photo), dubbed the "emperor of screen (golf), lowered himself to the secret of last season's good performance. "I played the ball for 10 hours a day, but I was worried because my exercise time decreased after giving birth to my daughter," Kim Hong-taek said in an online interview with the Segye Ilbo on the 4th. "I'm glad that the result came out better than I thought."
Kim Hong-taek had a satisfactory 2024 season, winning his second career victory by dominating the GS Caltex Maekyung Open, a major competition, in May last year. His unique long hitters remained strong, and his Green Hit Ratio became as sophisticated as 76.8 percent (second place). His putt has also improved. Kim, who posted 1.86 putts per hole (101st) in the 2022 season, showed improvement every season, and successfully reduced his putt to 1.78 (21st) in the 2024 season. "I made a putting ground at home and practiced 2-meter and 2.5-meter putts countless times," Kim said. "I missed many putts at short distances, but now I think I feel better." As a result, he ranked fourth overall in average pars last season, recording 70.06 pars per round.
Kim Hong-taek started playing golf when he was in the 6th grade at the recommendation of his father, who likes golf. "I started playing golf when he said it would be good to learn how to play golf. At first, I wasn't that interested, but when I won a competition in middle school, I got more fun."
Kim Hong-taek, who became a professional golfer in 2012, made a name for himself by displaying overwhelming performances at the G-Tour, a golf competition on screen. He was dubbed the "emperor of screen golf" by garnering 14 wins at the G-Tour until last year. He had an average of 64.4 in 10 G-Tour competitions last season as well. "I don't usually go round the rounds and practiced on the screen for a long time," Kim said. "When I was playing in the second round, I got interested in screen golf competitions where there was broadcast, and this is what happened." "Screen golf seems to be no different from ordinary golf except that it is easy to see a map on the green, making it easier to understand a slope," Kim said. "I like the nickname 'emperor of screen' meaning that I am good at golf."
Kim Hong-taek not only shows off his presence in screen golf but also in actual field with long-range shots. He is 173 centimeters short for a player, but his driving distance amounted to 303 yards (277 meters, 6th place) last year. "I had a lot of greed for driving distance since I was young. I practiced endlessly thinking that I should send the ball far away even if it goes outside."
It is also the reason why many galleries flock to send love and support whenever Kim Hong-taek plays. It is impressive to see him hit a long shot even though he is much shorter than other players. 메이저사이트
Kim Hong-taek, who is in the midst of tempering for the new season, said, "My goal is to win the Asian Tour this year and add two to three wins," vowing to "do my best to show a better performance this year."