Golfer's love for the sport prevails

Currently, there are more than 40 golfers on the LPGA who list South Korea as their place of birth. Within the next year or two, Olympia Kang hopes to join the group. Unlike most professional golfers, Kang, 18, preferred ice hockey at a young age.

"At first, I hated golf," she said. "Hockey is more exciting and a faster game."

In 2006, she was the youngest member of South Korean Women's National Ice Hockey Team. The following year, she represented her country in the Asian Winter Olympics. For two years, she didn't touch a golf club.

When her family moved to Melbourne, Australia, four years ago, she renewed her interest in the links. She met golf coach John Kang (no relation) and her game rapidly got better. Under the Bann-Lynch Golf Improvement Cycle, her handicap dropped from 23 to 6.

"Because of the stamina, skills and strength she developed while playing hockey, she was well prepared physically for golf," Coach Kang said.

She was the top-ranked female golfer at the Yarra Yarra Golf Club, where PGA players Stuart Appleby and Robert Allenby developed their skills.

In August, 2011, the family and coach came to the United States. She enrolled at the Saddlebrook Golf Academy and qualified for the Future Collegians World Tour (FCWT). In November, she captured her first victory at Naples Beach with a dramatic one-hole playoff. Last month, she won again at the Black Diamond course in Lecanto.

Her five-hour daily workouts have developed her long game, short game and putting.

"In the Bann-Lynch system, we want balance in all three aspects of the golf game," Coach Kang said.

He has his players visualize a shot prior to hitting it. They incorporate a "10 percent rule." For example, on a 150-yard shot, the goal is to get the ball within a 15-yard circle around the hole.

An unusual training technique is the Par Four Chipping Challenge. Golfers are handed two balls within 100 yards of the pin. The goal is to chip and putt each ball one time in order to achieve a score of four.

"The Challenge is a great way for players to improve their short game," Coach Kang said.

Next month, Kang plans to participate in an American Junior Golf Association tournament. Finishing near the top of the leader board will qualify her for the LPGA. Her dream of becoming a professional golfer may come sooner than expected.