Park swaps bat for the fairway spotlight at Aramco Korea Championship

[Seoul, South Korea – 10 May 2025] Former professional baseball pitcher Chan Ho Park took part in the pre-tournament Pro-Am at New Korea Country Club ahead of this week’s Aramco Korea Championship – which is now in its second round – showing his continued support for women’s golf in South Korea.

The former Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, and New York Yankees star – who made history as the first South Korean-born player in Major League Baseball – has long been passionate about golf. A low-handicap player, Park has competed with a handicap as low as three, even appearing in a couple of events on the Korean Golf Tour.

Playing this week alongside some of the greats in the women’s game, including former World No.1 Sung Hyun Park and Major champion and six-time LPGA Tour winner Danielle Kang, Park describes the Aramco Korea Championship as ‘special’.

He said: “It’s great to be here. I’ve played in a few women’s tournament Pro-Ams before, and it’s always a fun experience. It’s cool getting to know the pros – especially the Korean players, both those based here and those playing overseas.

“This Aramco Korea Championship is special. This course (New Korea Country Club) is one of my favourites. I love the name; it feels like the No.1 course representing the country. Playing in the Pro-Am here has been a great moment. Our team played well, and I got to play alongside Sung Hyun Park and Danielle Kang – both good friends of mine. Hopefully they do well this week and bring joy to golf fans in Korea.”

Speaking about his passion for golf, Park explained that many of the techniques he developed as a baseball player have translated into his swing – but ultimately, it all comes down to ‘timing’ and ‘rhythm’, qualities the two sports share.

“They say pitchers usually adjust better to golf than hitters – and I was a pitcher – so maybe that’s true. I practice a lot, especially at the range, and it’s helped a lot. Timing and rhythm definitely matter in both sports.”

“I actually played in a Pro-Am recently with Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed – major winners. That was exciting. I just try to hit it as far as I can. People always want to see how far I can hit it. I even drove the green on a par four recently – so that was fun!”

This week’s Aramco Korea Championship boasts a world-class field, headlined by South Korean stars including defending champion Hyo Joo Kim and former World No.1 Sung Hyun Park.

England’s Mimi Rhodes joins the line-up following a standout 2025 season that has seen her capture two titles, alongside recent winners Perrine Delacour and Cara Gainer.