The 31-year-old is back competing this week after two years serving in the South Korean military
Sang-Moon Bae Returns After Two Year Military Service
All able-bodied South Koreans aged 18-31 must complete military service in their home country. The 31-year-old was serving as a rifleman.
“I want to thank the PGA Tour for allowing me to retain my membership and I feel fortunate for its consideration,” he said.
“If I’d had no exemption, I would have to enter the Web.com Tour. But since I don’t have to, I feel more comfortable and can play the tournament with confidence.”
Bae won the 2013 Byron Nelson Championship before wrapping up his second PGA Tour title a year later at the Fry.com Open.
He won just shy of $2.6m in 2015 and played in the Presidents Cup in his home country before his military service began in November.
He said, "I remembered vividly my first time hitting the golf ball again after about five or six months in the army.
“Every minute was so precious and I really treasured each time when I was out on the golf course or at the driving range,” he said. “I’m very happy to be back.
“I thought only about getting discharged when I was in the military."
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