Trevor Ng
Kevin Sangwook Na is a Korean-American professional golfer. He was born in Seoul, South Korea, and moved to the United States with his family when he was eight years old, settling in Southern California. Na became an American citizen at the age of 18 and has had a long and successful career, playing on several major tours, including the Asian Tour, European Tour, and PGA Tour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kevin Sangwook Na |
| Date of Birth | 15 September 1983 |
| Place of Birth | Seoul, South Korea |
| Nationality | Korean-American |
| Moved to the US | Age 8 |
| Became an American Citizen | Age 18 |
| High School | Diamond Bar High School |
| Turned Professional | 2001 |
| First PGA Tour Victory | 2011 |
| Number of PGA Tour Victories | 5 |
| Last PGA Tour Victory | 2021 |
| Total PGA Tour Events | 458 |
| Years on PGA Tour | 19 |
| Number of Hole-in-ones | 7 |
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What You'll Learn
Kevin Na's early life
Kevin Na is a Korean-American professional golfer. He was born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1983 and moved to the United States with his family when he was eight years old. They settled in Southern California, where Na grew up with dreams of becoming a professional golfer.
Na took up golf at the age of nine and left Diamond Bar High School at 17 to pursue a career in the sport. He turned professional in 2001 and joined the Asian Tour, graduating to the European Tour and later the PGA Tour.
Na has spoken about his decision to leave school early to focus on golf: "My parents and my brother were all for it," he said in an interview with Fairway To Heaven, LIV Golf's official podcast. "Some people questioned my decision, but I never thought that I wouldn’t make it. I felt like four years of golf anywhere in the world would be better than four years of college golf."
At 18, Na became a naturalized American citizen, as his mother was an American citizen. He currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, with his wife, Julianne, and their three children.
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Career and notable moments
Kevin Na is a Korean-American professional golfer who has had a long and successful career. He was born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1983 and moved to the United States with his family when he was eight years old, settling in Southern California. He became an American citizen at the age of 18.
Na took up golf at the age of nine and left high school at 17 to focus on his golf career. He turned professional in 2001 and joined the Asian Tour for his first couple of seasons, also featuring on the European Tour. He earned his PGA Tour card ahead of the 2004 season.
Na has had five PGA Tour victories. His first came in 2011 at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, and his most recent was at the 2021 Sony Open in Hawaii. In 2019, he won the Charles Schwab Challenge and gave the 1973 Dodge Challenger prize to his caddie. Na has made a hole-in-one seven times throughout his career.
Na's best finish at a Major was in the 2016 US Open at Oakmont Country Club, where he ended one-over-par for the championship but solo seventh. In 2018, he won his second PGA Tour event, A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier.
Na has had several notable moments throughout his career. In 2011, he made a 16 on one par-4 hole during the Valero Texas Open, the worst-ever par-4 hole on the PGA Tour. In 2019, he had a viral moment when he chased his 4-foot putt on the 17th green at TPC Sawgrass during The Players Championship, with his playing partner Tiger Woods copying him with a smile. In June 2022, Na announced his resignation from the PGA Tour to join the LIV Golf Invitational Series and became the captain of Iron Heads GC.
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PGA Tour record
Kevin Na is a Korean-American professional golfer. He was a member of the PGA Tour until June 2022, when he resigned to join LIV Golf. In his 19 years on the PGA Tour, Na played in 458 events and won five tournaments between 2011 and 2021.
Na got his PGA Tour card for the 2004 season. In 2005, he finished second at the FBR Open and Chrysler Classic of Tucson. In 2006, he missed six months due to a hand injury. In his first start back, he won the Mark Christopher Charity Classic on the Nationwide Tour. In 2007, he played on the PGA Tour via a medical extension and finished fourth at the Verizon Heritage. In 2008, he was fourth at the FBR Open and Sony Open in Hawaii. In 2009, he finished third at the Players Championship and the FBR Open. In 2010, he finished second at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and third at the BMW Championship.
Na's first PGA Tour victory came in 2011 at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He broke the tournament scoring record of 21-under par when he finished the week at 23-under par. In the same year, he finished tenth at the PGA Championship and fifth at the Bob Hope Classic and Wells Fargo Championship. In 2014, he finished second at the Memorial Tournament and Valspar Championship, third at the Frys.com Open, fourth at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, ninth at The Barclays, and 12th at the U.S. Open. In 2016, he lost in a sudden-death playoff to Emiliano Grillo at the Frys.com Open. In 2018, he won his second PGA Tour event, A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier. In 2019, he won the Charles Schwab Challenge and successfully defended his Shriners title. In 2021, Na won his fifth and final PGA Tour title at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
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Personal life
Kevin Na is a Korean-American professional golfer. He was born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1983 and moved to the United States with his family when he was eight years old. They settled in Southern California, where Na grew up and became an American citizen at the age of 18 through his mother, who is also an American citizen.
Na took up golf at the age of nine and left Diamond Bar High School at the age of 17 to pursue a professional golf career. He turned pro in 2001 and joined the Asian Tour, where he won the 2002 Volvo Masters of Asia and was named Rookie of the Year. He also played on the European Tour before joining the PGA Tour in 2004.
Na has had a successful career on the PGA Tour, winning five tournaments between 2011 and 2021. His first PGA Tour victory came in 2011 at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, and his most recent win was at the 2021 Sony Open in Hawaii. In June 2022, Na announced his resignation from the PGA Tour to join the LIV Golf Invitational Series (also known as the LIV Golf League). He is currently the captain of the LIV Golf side Iron Heads GC.
Na is married to Julianne Na, and they have three children: Sophia, Leo, and Logan. They live in Las Vegas, Nevada, near his home course at TPC Summerlin.
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Current projects
Kevin Na is a Korean-American professional golfer. He was born in Seoul, South Korea, and moved to the United States with his family when he was eight years old. He grew up in Southern California and became an American citizen at the age of 18.
Na has had a long and successful career, playing on several major tours. He turned professional in 2001 and joined the Asian Tour for his first few seasons, also featuring on the European Tour. He won the 2002 Volvo Masters of Asia tournament. In 2004, he made his PGA Tour debut.
Na's notable achievements include five PGA Tour victories. His first came in 2011 at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, and his most recent was at the 2021 Sony Open in Hawaii. He has also had notable finishes at other tournaments, such as the Memorial Tournament, Valspar Championship, and the U.S. Open.
In June 2022, Na announced his resignation from the PGA Tour and joined the LIV Golf Invitational Series, where he was immediately installed as captain of Iron Heads GC.
LIV Golf League
In June 2022, Kevin Na joined the LIV Golf League, a new golf league that is separate from the traditional PGA Tour. This move signaled a new direction in his career, and he was appointed as the captain of Iron Heads GC, one of the teams in the LIV Golf League. This decision allowed Na to explore new opportunities and compete in a different format.
Continued Participation in Golf Tournaments
Even after joining the LIV Golf League, Kevin Na continues to participate in various golf tournaments and pursue victories. He competes in events organized by different golf associations and tours, showcasing his skills and representing his team.
Brand Endorsements and Sponsorships
As a renowned golfer, Kevin Na likely has endorsement deals and sponsorship agreements with various companies and brands in the golf industry and beyond. These partnerships can include equipment manufacturers, apparel brands, and other companies seeking to associate themselves with Na's success and reputation in the sport.
Community Engagement and Golf Promotion
Kevin Na may be involved in community engagement initiatives and golf promotion activities. As a successful golfer, he has the potential to inspire and mentor aspiring young golfers. He may participate in golf clinics, youth development programs, or charitable events that use golf as a platform to give back to the community and grow the sport.
Personal Development and Training
Aside from his professional endeavours, Kevin Na likely invests time in his personal development and continued improvement as a golfer. This may include working with coaches and trainers to refine his skills, studying new techniques, and optimizing his physical and mental health to maintain his performance on the golf course.
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Frequently asked questions
Kevin Na is Korean-American.
Kevin Na was born in Seoul, South Korea.
Kevin Na moved to the United States when he was eight years old.
Kevin Na grew up in Southern California.
Kevin Na became an American citizen when he was 18 years old.
