After completing the first round on the 22nd, Yoo revealed through social media and a live broadcast that he carded an 86. He said, “I figured many people were curious, so I thought it was best to share it myself. Since it was my first time, rather than setting big goals, I simply aimed to shoot in the 80s.”
After news of his participation spread, traffic to the KPGA website surged, temporarily slowing access.
He addressed the situation with some embarrassment, saying, “There were so many searches that the site practically crashed, and other participants couldn’t check their tee times or scores. That’s why I decided to share my score myself.”
The round itself was not easy. Yoo recalled, “I hit an OB on the very first hole, which completely threw off my rhythm. I was already 8-over on the front nine. While others played more aggressively on the back nine aiming to qualify, I was so nervous throughout all 18 holes that it was hard just to stay composed.”
He also admitted feeling significant pressure during the test.
Yoo added, “Since all scores are made public in the pro test, every mistake feels magnified. Most people were supportive, but I was still conscious of some criticism. So I approached it with the mindset of ‘just don’t embarrass myself.’ I had penalty strokes, and overall, course management wasn’t easy. Still, this experience clearly showed me what I lack and what I need to work on.”
He continued, “At first, I just didn’t want to embarrass myself, but as the round went on, the pressure to hold my score together grew even stronger. It reminded me how important the mental aspect of golf is. For tomorrow’s round, I want to stay focused on shooting in the 80s without getting greedy. I’ll do my best to finish this test well and use it as a stepping stone to improve and come back stronger.”
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)