Staff WriterLIV Golf has handed Byeong Hun An the sort of job title that comes with both a blazer and a target on your back: captain of Korean Golf Club for the 2026 season. The move is not subtle. A fully-Korean roster — An alongside Younghan Song, Minkyu Kim and Danny Lee — is LIV’s way of planting a flag in one of the sport’s most passionate markets and saying, plainly, this isn’t a cameo appearance.
And if you’re wondering whether this is a marketing play dressed up as golf, the player résumé does a fair job of silencing that line of thought before it gets its shoes on. Byeong Hun An is 34, owns the distinction of being the youngest winner of the U.S. Amateur Championship (2009, age 17), and has a European Tour moment that still makes scoreboards feel a little self-conscious: the first Asian winner of the BMW PGA Championship in 2015, with the tournament’s lowest winning score, plus the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year tag for good measure.
A captaincy with intent — and a roster with a passport stamp
Korean Golf Club has recently rebranded to reflect “Korea’s growing influence on global golf culture” and a “reimagined vision” of modern golf. Fine. But brands don’t win points; players do. The captaincy is where that rebrand either becomes a living, breathing identity — or a new logo on an old suitcase.
An, for his part, is pitching this as a career decision rather than a detour.
“Joining LIV Golf is a defining move for my future,” An said. “LIV Golf is becoming a leading force in the game and a truly global golf league with a clear vision for the future; I see a great opportunity to grow my career as captain of Korean Golf Club: To compete at the highest level, embrace a dynamic team environment, and help shape this new era of the sport.”
That’s the line LIV wants as the headline in every market it’s trying to deepen: elite player, global stage, team identity, future-facing. The captaincy gives it a face.
The CV: U.S. Amateur at 17, BMW PGA history, and a Presidents Cup edge
The timeline matters here because it reads like a golfer who’s been on the proper conveyor belt of elite competition — not someone dabbling in a new format for a change of scenery.
After turning pro in 2011, An picked up his first professional win on the Challenge Tour in 2014, then made that BMW PGA Championship jump in 2015. More recently, he won the LECOM Suncoast Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2022 and captured the Genesis Championship in 2024, beating Tom Kim in a first-hole playoff. That same season brought a runner-up at the Sony Open, a third at the Wells Fargo Championship and his best FedExCup ranking to date.
Then there’s the international line on the ledger: Presidents Cup appearances for the International Team in 2019 and 2024, plus Olympic representation for Korea at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. Captaincy is easier to sell when “representing your country” isn’t a slogan; it’s something you’ve actually done under the lights.
Korean Golf Club’s supporting cast: Song, Minkyu Kim and Danny Lee
A captain is only as convincing as the group he’s leading. LIV has built this roster like it wants instant coherence: familiar names for Korean fans, proven winners, and enough variety in career arcs to create real team narrative.
Younghan Song: steady hands, international wins
Song made his LIV Golf debut in April 2025 and returns with two professional victories on overseas tours, including the Japan Golf Tour. He’s been framed as the calm operator — “steady game management” and “composure under pressure” — and crucially, he’s a longtime friend and peer of An. In team golf, chemistry isn’t a garnish; it’s part of the meal.
Minkyu Kim: prodigy credentials, LIV reps already banked
Kim became the youngest winner in European Tour group history in 2018 at age 17. He also got a taste of LIV in 2025 as an injury replacement for the RangeGoats. It’s the sort of profile that fits neatly into LIV’s preference for players who arrive with upside, not just nostalgia.
Danny Lee: four seasons in, a LIV winner on the books
Lee returns for his fourth season with LIV Golf under the newly-rebranded Korean Golf Club and brings something every team wants on day one: a proven winning memory inside the league.
After debuting at the 2023 season opener in Mayakoba, he won in just his second tournament, surviving a four-way playoff at LIV Golf Tucson. That’s a useful kind of experience when the format gets strange and the pressure gets loud.
KGC’s General Manager, Martin Kim, didn’t dress it up as anything smaller than a turning point.
“This is a landmark moment for Korean Golf Club,” said KGC General Manager Martin Kim. “Ben An is one of the most accomplished golfers of his generation, and his leadership as captain sets the standard for everything we want this team to represent.
Alongside Younghan Song, Minkyu Kim, and Danny Lee, we’ve assembled a roster that reflects the depth, discipline, and global ambition of Korean golf as we enter the next chapter for this team.”
LIV Golf Korea, Coupang Play and the festival blueprint
If the roster is the sporting argument, the Korea strategy is the business case. LIV points to its inaugural LIV Golf Korea presented by Coupang Play in May 2025 at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon — a three-day event packaged as both elite competition and a festival. Coupang Play’s role as exclusive broadcast partner in South Korea is the key line here; distribution is destiny.
And yes, LIV is still very comfortable telling you that the future of golf includes a stage. The league highlights a headline performance from G-Dragon alongside appearances by IVE, Dynamic Duo, Gummy, and KiiKii, describing an event that “seamlessly” fused sport, music, and culture.
That wider strategy sits behind the signing, and CEO Scott O’Neil said the quiet part out loud — this isn’t only about one golfer, it’s about one market.
“The arrival of Ben underscores our long-term commitment to – and deep belief in – the Korean market and the important role it plays in shaping the future of global golf,” said CEO of LIV Golf Scott O’Neil. “Ben represents a generation of elite athletes who value expanding the game’s reach, competing at the highest level on an international stage, and carrying the responsibility of representing their country with pride.
That perspective aligns powerfully with our belief that golf’s next era will be defined by diversity, ambition, and a rising standard of elite global competition. Korea has established itself as one of the sport’s most passionate markets, capable of producing a pipeline of world-class talent, Ben personifies the pride, discipline, and competitive excellence that have shaped that reputation.”
What it means for 2026: identity, fandom and pressure
For Byeong Hun An, this is an invitation to lead and a request to deliver. Captains don’t get to hide behind “still settling in” when the roster is built around national pride and the league is actively selling the team as a symbol of Korea’s place in modern golf.
For LIV, it’s a bet that the Korean market isn’t just enthusiastic — it’s scalable. A rebranded Korean Golf Club with a major champion captain, a coherent roster, and a proven broadcast partner gives the league a clean story to tell heading into 2026. The only thing left is the hard part: turning narrative into numbers on a leaderboard.
Tickets for LIV Golf’s 2026 season are available now at LIVGolf.com, with the league directing fans to LIVGolf.com/schedule for the full 2026 schedule and musical lineup.
