Sangmoon Bae returns to professional golf

"I thought only about getting discharged when I was in military". That's what Sangmoon Bae revealed after completing his national service in his native South Korea. So, how did he get on?

Sangmoon Bae's professional career is back on track, as he is playing in his first tournament in over two years, after completing his national service in his native South Korea. 

Bae’s lasting outing was in the 2015 Presidents Cup, which was hosted in South Korea, but that’s been his lot since then. The United States won there for the sixth successive time with a 15½–14½ victory over the International team at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Incheon.

Bae has won three times on the Asian Tour, and won the PGA Tour's Byron Nelson Championship in 2013 and the Frys.com Open in 2014.

The 31-year-old says he's driving the ball further now because of his weight and physical training in the army, where he spent two years as a rifleman.

Bae says: "I remembered vividly my first time hitting the golf ball again after about five or six months in the army ... every minute was so precious and I really treasured each time when I was out on the golf course or at the driving range. I'm very happy to be back.”

Bae's first round of tournament golf was a 3-over 74 Thursday in the opening round of the Asian Tour's Donghae Open, so there’s a bit of ring rust in evidence.

But Bae is a proven winner, and it will be interesting to follow his progress as he returns to the Tour full time.

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