Yang draws attention
South Korean’s 67 low round of day
CHASKA, Minn. – If Y.E. Yang’s hot pink pants and theatrics didn’t get Tiger Woods’ attention Saturday at the PGA Championship, his ball-striking and shot-making sure did.
The 37-year-old South Korean shot the low round of the day at Hazeltine National, a 67 that brought him to 6-under-par 210 and earned him a date with the most famous athlete on the planet, and golf’s most intimidating closer, in today’s final round.
“With Woods, he’s won 70 times now, and I’ve won only once,” Yang said through an interpreter. “So it’s sort of 70-to-1 odds. So I might as well go for broke as well.”
This is the first time in his career that Yang will play with Woods during a round, and a smile creased his face when he was asked about it.
“I’ll try not to go over par,” he said.
Yang started the day at 1 under, six strokes behind Woods, who practically had his name already engraved on the trophy. But Yang was bogey-free on the front nine, then overcame a bogey on No. 13 with birdies on 14, 15 and the signature 16th to creep into contention.
“Y.E. played just a great round of golf today,” Woods said after shooting a 71 to take a two-stroke lead over Yang and Padraig Harrington.
They may not have played together before, but Yang and Woods have history. Yang held off a charge from Woods and Retief Goosen to win the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai in 2007. The two-stroke victory over Woods made Yang just the second South Korean to win a European tour event, joining K.J. Choi.
“Yes he did,” Woods recalled. “Y.E. played great.”
If Saturday was any indication, Yang should relish the spotlight. When he rolled in a putt to birdie No. 15, the Hazeltine crowd roared. Yang responded by waving both arms skyward, playfully asking for more.
Buoyed by the support, Yang birdied three straight holes and finished at 5-under for the day.
“It’s a good feeling when you hear your name from the crowd and when they cheer for you,” Yang said. “It’s much better than playing alone. So I try to be a bit responsive. It certainly helps to boost your morale a bit.”