PGA Tour Pro Slams Allegedly Racist Fan Comments

Byeong Hun An is one of two pros to take to social media to complain about alleged derogatory comments

Byeong Hun An takes a shot at the 2022 Houston Open
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Mike Hall
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PGA Tour pro Byeong Hun An is one of two players to allege they have been subjected to derogatory comments in recent days.

An highlighted an alleged incident when he was paired alongside fellow Koreans Seung-Yul Noh and SH Kim at the PGA Tour’s Houston Open. Taking to Twitter, An wrote: "It was fun to play with other two Koreans today until some fan said “good shot Kim…oh that was An. It’s all the same anyways.”

That is not the first time the 31-year-old has complained of similar comments. After regaining his PGA Tour card for this season, An revealed that he had been addressed as Japanese player Hideki Matsuyama during the opener, the Fortinet Championship in California. He wrote: “My first ‘nice shot Hideki’ of the year today. That moment I knew I was back on the tour. Feels nice.”

Meanwhile, it isn't just An who said he was the victim of unsavoury comments in recent days. LPGA Tour player Danielle Kang is in the field for this week's season-closing CME Group Tour Championship in Florida and explained she received derogatory comments in the state. 

Airing her frustrations on Instagram, Kang wrote: “Why is it that almost every time I come to Florida, at least once, there’s a Caucasian person commenting at me for being an Asian? Today was unfortunately two young girls around the age of 15 coming up to my face at CVS and shouting random things and since I didn’t respond they chatted away saying how it doesn’t matter cause I probably don’t speak English.

“I hope, truly hope that cultural and social studies become more of an importance. I normally don’t post about things like this but enough is enough. Last year someone said to me while I was in my car to go back to my own country. Being uneducated to this level is the truest form of an embarrassment.” Kang went on to explain that her experiences weren’t just limited to Florida, and she had received comments of a similar nature while playing in Michigan.

An finished tied for 53rd at the Memorial Park Golf Course in Texas while Kang’s most recent appearance was in October's BMW Ladies Championship, where she finished tied for 10th.

Mike Hall
Mike Hall
News Writer

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.

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