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| ▲ In this Getty Images file photo from May 15, 2022, Lee Kyoung-hoon of South Korea (L) poses with his wife, Yu Joo-yeon, and their daughter Celine Yu-na after winning the AT&T Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ In this Getty Images file photo from May 15, 2022, Lee Kyoung-hoon of South Korea poses with the champion's trophy after winning the AT&T Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas. (Yonhap) |
PGA Tour-golfer
Lee Kyoung-hoon feels right at home in Texas ahead of 'three-peat' bid on PGA Tour
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, May 10 (Yonhap) -- PGA Tour veteran Lee Kyoung-hoon may be from South Korea, but he is feeling right at home in Texas this week.
That's where Lee will be trying to win his third straight AT&T Byron Nelson title.
Starting Thursday at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, Lee will try to become the first South Korean player to win the same tournament in three consecutive seasons. He remains the only South Korean to have successfully defended a PGA Tour title.
"Whenever I come here, I feel comfortable," Lee said in an online interview with South Korean media Wednesday morning. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about the three-peat bid. But instead of putting pressure on myself, I will try to feel grateful just to have this opportunity."
Lee tied for eighth at the Wells Fargo Championship last week, just his third top-10 finish of the season. Both of his two career PGA Tour wins have come at the AT&T Byron Nelson.
"I arrived here feeling good about my game, after a top-10 finish last week," he said. "And I am more confident now than I was before last year's tournament."
As for reasons why he has played so well at TPC Craig Ranch, Lee said: "Fairways are pretty wide here, and so I can hit my driver off the tee with confidence. I've always putted well on these greens, and given myself good birdie opportunities with strong iron play."
Lee said the par-71 7,414-yard layout can still be challenging with the headwinds, singling out the par-four 16th as the most difficult hole.
"I've been trying to become more consistent with my shots," Lee said. "I'd like to win a tournament this season, and it'd be great to get it done this week. I will try to be better than I was last season."
Victories in Texas have been a family affair for the 31-year-old Lee. For his first win, his wife, Yu Joo-yeon, was expecting the couple's first child. Lee won the tournament for the second time last year with his daughter, Celine Yu-na, in tow.
"If I win again this year and my daughter comes running toward me to celebrate, that will make me really happy," Lee said with a smile. "Before she was born, I would take some frustration from a bad tournament home and stay down on myself. But now, there's constant laughter at home because of her, and I am always happy regardless of how I play."
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