TC Chen to KJ Choi: names behind the initials

Jeremy Ellwood

Golfers occasionally turn up on tour going only by their initials rather than their full names. But just what are the names behind the initials...

For various reasons, golfers occasionally turn up on tour going only by their initials rather than their full names. Sometimes it’s for practical pronunciation reasons with overseas players, other times it’s simply personal preference or childhood legacy. Here we reveal 10 of golf’s names behind the initials

TC Chen

Taiwanese Tze-chung Chen played on the PGA Tour for 10 years, finishing 2nd twice, most notably in the 1985 US Open when an infamous final-round double hit cost him the chance to become Asia’s first Major champion. Most forget that he also scored the first albatross in US Open history during that same tournament.

TC Chen has become golf-speak for a double-hit after his unfortunate 1985 US Open incident

TC Chen has become golf-speak for a double-hit after his unfortunate 1985 US Open incident

DJ Trahan

The 2008 Bob Hope winner’s real names are Donald and Roland, which doesn’t really explain the J…

JB Holmes

The monumental-hitting three-time tour winner’s real names are John Bradley but he prefers JB. Apparently there was a famous porn star in the States called John Holmes…

KJ Choi

One of Korea’s finest ever players turned to initials after first-tee announcers regularly got hopelessly tongue-tied trying to pronounce Kyoung-Ju.

DA Weibring

Donald Albert, who often sported a flat white cap in his heyday, won five PGA Tour titles between 1979 and 1996. Son Matt has played on the Web.com Tour for a number of years.

Donald Albert Weibring sporting his trademark flat white cap in his earlier days

Donald Albert Weibring sporting his trademark flat white cap in his earlier days

JC Snead

Sam Snead’s nephew and eight-time PGA Tour winner was christened Jesse Carlyle perhaps triggering the initial thing.

SK Ho

Another Korean name simplified for the English tongue. Hur Suk-ho is the real name of the eight-time Japan Tour winner who finished 11th in the 2006 Open.

SSP Chowrasia

Shiv Shankar Prasad popped up out of nowhere to pinch the first ever tour event in his native country – the 2008 Indian Masters. Second name is perhaps best left to the initial only.

Now that's a trophy and a half! Obviously none of SSP Chowrasia's second name in the 2008 Indian Masters

Now that’s a trophy! Obviously none of SSP Chowrasia’s second name in the 2008 Indian Masters

DA Points

Darren Andrew spent many years flitting between the PGA and Web.com Tours before his breakthrough win in the 2011 AT&T at Pebble Beach. Added a second victory in the 2013 Shell Houston Open.

HB Duntz-Macarthur

No, we’d never heard of this lady who made her LPGA Tour debut in 1975 either. But we do know that HB stands for Helen Beth.