84 years return home, ‘Nobuhara’ but ‘Yeon Deokchun’…韓 Golf No. 1 “Nationality and Honor” (SS attention)

Economy | society

(Sports Seoul | Reporter Kim Min -kyu)

The name and nationality of Advisor Yeon Deok -chun (1916-2004), the first professional golf player in Korea, and ‘Son Ki -jung of the golf world’, finally found their place.

Although he won the Japanese Open Golf Championship in 1941, he became the first Korean to the top of the international competition, but his name was recorded as ‘Japanese player Nobuhara Tokuharu’ in Japanese golf company. In August 2025, the 80th anniversary of Liberation, it returned to its original name and nationality in 84 years.

The Korea Professional Golf Association (KPGA) unveiled the results of the winning trophy of the Japanese Open Records and Advisors at the ‘Restoration of History and Legends’ event held at the press center in Jung -gu, Seoul on the 12th.

Advisor Yeondeok -chun was in the name of ‘Nobuhara Tokuharu’ in the age of not allowed to play unless he used Japanese name. He won the second place in the fourth round and 290 strokes in the second round, winning the second place in three strokes. But the glory was distorted by the record of ‘Japanese players’.

For over 80 years, his name has been buried in Japanese golf.

The beginning of change was held in October last year. The KPGA and the Korea Golf Association (KGA) gathered their strength and officially requested the Japanese Golf Association (JGA) for ‘correcting history’. After several months of negotiations and internal discussions, in April of this year, JGA unanimously decided to correct the record.

Kim Won -seop, chairman of KPGA, emphasized that “Yeon Deok -chun is a founding member and member of KPGA. This moment of correcting his name, nationality, and history is to establish the legitimacy of Korean golf.”

JGA Yamanaka Hiroshi Chief Operating Officer (COO) said, “Korean Yeon Deok -chun is called Japanese name Nobuhara Tokuharu.” “In fact, Yondeokchun is a Korean. “Now, in all official records, we have used the real name of Yeondeokchun,” he added.

The restoration trophy released on the day was also eye -catching. In 1950, the originals lost to the Korean War have been restored since last year, and they have been revived as close to the original form. The trophy will be donated to the Independence Hall and will be a symbol of the way to stay in the future.

Yamanaka COO said, “Yeon Deok -chun, who had to hide his name because of the political background, has now regained his name.

Born in Seoul in 1916, Advisor Yeon Deok -chun entered golf after studying in Caddy and acquired professional qualifications after studying in Japan. After returning home, he won the first professional golf tournament in Korea in 1958 and led the founding of KPGA in 1968. He has lived his lifetime for his juniors and golf development, and he was called the root of Korean golf.

The 84 -year return is not just a record modification. It is a reversal of the stolen history and another ‘independence’ engraved on Korean sports history. kmg@sportsseoul.com