News
Sang-Moon Bae ruled back to South Korea for military conscription
Sang-Moon Bae, a two-time PGA Tour winner, will return to South Korea for two years of military service after losing a legal battle on Wednesday, according to a report from Yonhap News.
Bae was granted United States residency in 2013, but was charged with violating South Korea’s military service regulations in February. In the 29-year old’s home country, men between the ages of 18 and 35 must serve in the military for about two years, and men between 25 and 35 who have not yet served must obtain a special permit to stay overseas.
He was recently denied an extension on his expired travel permit, which would have allowed him to stay in the U.S., and filed an administrative suit in response against the Military Manpower Administration (MMA).
The Daegu District Court in Bae’s hometown, however, sided with the MMA, and he accepted the decision.
“I completely respect the court’s decision, and I humbly accept the judgment by the law,” Bae told Yonhap News. “I am sorry to those who have supported me, including all my fans and South Koreans, for causing anxiety.”
Bae, currently ranked No. 107 in the Official World Golf Rankings, has been allowed to stay in the U.S. and compete on the PGA Tour while the lawsuit transpired. He won the Frys.com Open in October 2014, competed in 21 events this season and most recently finished T54 at The Greenbrier, but says he will return to South Korea soon.
“I decided that I can mature further as a golfer by returning home as soon as I can and complete my mandatory military service,” Bae said.
Despite the ruling, he still remains in the field at this week’s RBC Canadian Open, which begins on Thursday.
I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear
OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.
LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break
Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.
Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.
On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.
On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.
On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.
PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home
Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.
On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?
Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.
Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?
PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates
Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.
Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.
Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
Steve Wozeniak
Jul 25, 2015 at 4:38 pm
Just think how much better we would be as a nation if we had that here!!!!!! We would have quite a few respectful people like this man, would we not??????
KK
Jul 26, 2015 at 3:32 pm
Mandatory military service is not the answer to producing more respectful people. I put a lot of blame on the parents who are raising these “disrespectful people.” If kids are taught to be respectful, then most of them will grow up to be respectful people. We hear stories all the time about parents getting into fist fights over their kids sporting events, fighting over parking spots or getting road rage, shooting people for silly reasons, fans knocking other fans out at professional events, or even spouses yelling at each other in front of their kids…..all of these things and countless others tell kids that its ok to act this way. A lot of people could be much more respectful to others, but mandatory military service is not the best option to getting there.
Joe
Jul 23, 2015 at 2:37 pm
Do your service to your nation, just as all other Koreans do…just because you have a great golf game should not exempt you.
Christosterone
Jul 25, 2015 at 9:24 am
if mandatory conscription were truly a necessary service then women would be required to enlist as well….or are they not as well appointed to perform military service? See what I did there?
-Christosterone
Joe
Jul 25, 2015 at 7:12 pm
Yes, I see what you did there; you made a dumb comment.
Christosterone
Jul 25, 2015 at 10:13 pm
How do you know I did not say it aloud?
-Christosterone
Christosterone
Jul 23, 2015 at 1:09 pm
other paul may not be popular but he’s not wrong either. I heard ballstrikka couldn’t play in the sandbox as a child cuz the cat would try to bury him
-Christosterone
Christosterone
Jul 25, 2015 at 9:02 am
Why would you steal someone else’s user name?
-Christosterone
Brian K
Jul 22, 2015 at 8:20 pm
You are funny. lol
Keith
Jul 22, 2015 at 3:30 pm
Wonder if he considered defecting? He’s going to give up prime earning years and it’s highly likely that his skills will erode without the time to practice and refine them. I’m sure it would be tough to turn your back on your country and heritage and never be able to return.
leo
Jul 22, 2015 at 4:40 pm
he should apply for citizenship from any country that will grant it quickly it wouldn’t be hard at all to turn your back on your country when millions of dollars are involved. golf is highly regarded in S. Korea so i think he will have plenty of opportunity to play and practice just not tournement rounds
Ph00ny
Jul 23, 2015 at 8:52 am
Not sure if that will solve anything since korea does not recognize dual citizenship last i heard. All because of some celebrity pulled a bait and switch when he said he would serve the military requirement on public tv and bailed out to US to avoid the miliatry service. This caused such an uproar that law makers made it a law to prevent people from obtaining foreign citizenship for men over 18 just to avoid military service
Brian K
Jul 22, 2015 at 8:19 pm
Don’t worry. He ll have tons of time to practice. Also He should teach Stars golf during 2 years of army service.
john
Jul 22, 2015 at 9:23 pm
a friend of mine is a professional golfer who had to return to korea for military service (not a tour player), he said you don’t get any time to practice.
other paul
Jul 22, 2015 at 1:23 pm
He should pay someone to go for him
Since they all look alike, shouldn’t be a problem
Hey Now...
Jul 22, 2015 at 2:51 pm
That is a pretty petty, offensive comment. I am sure your mother would be proud. Do you also have a confederate flag in the back window of your truck?
Mat
Jul 22, 2015 at 7:12 pm
yeah. sure you are.
TimJHU
Jul 23, 2015 at 7:44 am
Wow, there’s no place for comments like that on this sight. You need to talk with a professional about your bigoted views and try to rejoin the real world.
golfiend
Jul 23, 2015 at 1:52 pm
The rotten apple does not fall very far from the tree
other paul
Jul 23, 2015 at 4:49 pm
I wished I knew where you lived
Hey Now...
Jul 23, 2015 at 6:49 pm
I live in Liberal, Kansas. Come and get me pal.
doctorjedi
Aug 14, 2015 at 9:49 pm
Im asian and thats funny. People need to lighten up.