Kevin Na facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kevin Na |
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Na in 2018
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | Kevin Sangwook Na |
| Born | September 15, 1983 Seoul, South Korea |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 167 lb (76 kg; 11.9 st) |
| Nationality |  United States South Korea |
| Residence | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Spouse |
Julianne Na
(m. 2017) |
| Children | 3 |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 2001 |
| Current tour(s) | LIV Golf |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour Asian Tour |
| Professional wins | 9 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 5 |
| Asian Tour | 1 |
| Web.com Tour | 1 |
| Other | 2 |
| Best results in Major Championships |
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| The Masters Tournament | T12: 2012, 2015, 2021 |
| U.S. Open | 7th: 2016 |
| The Open Championship | T22: 2016 |
| PGA Championship | T10: 2011 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| Asian PGA Tour Rookie of the Year |
2002 |
Kevin Sangwook Na (born September 15, 1983) is a Korean American professional golfer. He played on the PGA Tour for many years. In June 2022, he decided to join LIV Golf. Kevin has won five tournaments on the PGA Tour. His wins happened between 2011 and 2021.
Contents
Early Life and Golf Beginnings
Kevin Na was born in Seoul, South Korea. When he was eight years old, his family moved to the United States. They settled in southern California. Kevin loved golf from a young age. He left Diamond Bar High School when he was 17. This allowed him to become a professional golfer.
Kevin's Professional Golf Journey
Kevin Na has played golf on several major tours. These include the Asian Tour, European Tour, and PGA Tour. He earned his PGA Tour card in 2004. This meant he could play in the biggest golf events.
In 2002, Kevin won the Volvo Masters of Asia on the Asian Tour. This was an early sign of his talent. In 2006, he had a hand injury. After recovering, he won the Mark Christopher Charity Classic on the Nationwide Tour.
Kevin kept playing well on the PGA Tour. He often finished in the top spots. In 2009, he had nine top-10 finishes. This helped him get into the Masters Tournament and the U.S. Open for the first time.
First PGA Tour Win
Kevin Na worked hard for his first PGA Tour win. On October 1, 2011, he won the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. This was a big moment for him. He had played in 211 PGA Tour events before this victory. He won by two strokes and set a new tournament record. This win also gave him a two-year pass to play on the tour.
Memorable Moments and Challenges
During the 2011 Valero Texas Open, Kevin had a very unusual moment. He took 16 shots on one hole. This was the most shots ever recorded on a par-4 hole on the PGA Tour. It happened because his ball went out of bounds and hit a tree. Even with this tough hole, he still played well on the other holes.
In 2013, Kevin faced another challenge. A back injury limited his playing time. But he recovered and came back strong. He quickly secured his spot on the PGA Tour again.
More Wins and Achievements
Kevin continued to play consistently. In 2014, he finished second at the Memorial Tournament. He also placed well in other big events.
In 2018, Kevin won his second PGA Tour event. This was A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier. It was his first win since 2011. The next year, in 2019, he won his third PGA Tour title. This was at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He played a fantastic second round, shooting a 62.
Later in 2019, Kevin won his fourth PGA Tour title. He won the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open again. This time, he won in a playoff against Patrick Cantlay.
His fifth PGA Tour win came in January 2021. He won the Sony Open in Hawaii. He made an amazing comeback, winning by one stroke. In September 2021, he finished third at the Tour Championship. This earned him a lot of money in the FedEx Cup season.
Moving to LIV Golf
In June 2022, Kevin Na made a big decision. He announced he was leaving the PGA Tour. He joined the new LIV Golf Invitational Series.
Personal Life
Kevin Na is a naturalized American citizen. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is married to Julianne Na. They have three children named Sophia, Leo, and Logan.
Professional Wins (9)
Kevin Na has won 9 professional golf tournaments. Here are his wins on different tours:
PGA Tour Wins (5)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oct 2, 2011 | Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open | 67-63-66-65=261 | −23 | 2 strokes |  Nick Watney |
| 2 | Jul 8, 2018 | A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier | 69-63-65-64=261 | −19 | 5 strokes | Kelly Kraft |
| 3 | May 26, 2019 | Charles Schwab Challenge | 70-62-69-66=267 | −13 | 4 strokes | Tony Finau |
| 4 | Oct 6, 2019 | Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (2) | 68-62-61-70=261 | −23 | Playoff | Patrick Cantlay |
| 5 | Jan 17, 2021 | Sony Open in Hawaii | 67-66-61-65=259 | −21 | 1 stroke | Chris Kirk,  Joaquín Niemann |
Asian PGA Tour Wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dec 8, 2002 | Volvo Masters of Asia | 69-66-71-66=272 | −16 | 2 strokes |  Craig Kamps, Anthony Kang, Arjun Singh,  Simon Yates |
Nationwide Tour Wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oct 8, 2006 | Mark Christopher Charity Classic | 62-66-71-69=268 | −16 | 3 strokes | Jeff Quinney, Chris Tidland |
Other Wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 28, 2002 | Long Beach Open | 66-64-75-63=268 | −20 | 3 strokes | Mike Cunning |
| 2 | Dec 12, 2021 | QBE Shootout (with Jason Kokrak) |
59-64-60=183 | −33 | 1 stroke | Sam Burns and Billy Horschel |
See also
- 2003 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates
