Jung Chan-min is looking to smash his way onto the international stage

Jung Chan-min [CJ]

Jung Chan-min, who claimed his first-ever KPGA title at the 42nd GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship on May 7, is looking to display his considerable power on the international stage, but only if he can find a club that's up to the challenge.

Having debuted on the KPGA tour last year, the 23-year old golfer came to prominence after winning the Maekyung Open with a wire-to-wire run.

A power hitter, Jung is able to do some serious damage from the tee, but he needs a very well-enforced club to be able to withstand the onslaught.

He uses a Tensei Pro Orange series 8-TX shaft, which is only available in one model in Korea. It's thought to be the strongest club available in Korea, but it's still not enough for Jung.

“I need a harder one, but I cannot get it,” Jung said during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo on May 30.

Jung's fastest swing speed is 136 miles per hour. With that much power behind his swings, Jung is currently forced to change heads at least once every two weeks, despite only actually hitting a ball 10 times in each practice session.

Standing at 1.88 meters (6.2 feet) tall with 120 kilograms (265 pounds) behind his swing, Jung relies on a high-calorie dairy diet and a lot of jump rope to stay in big swing shape.

He has drunk 1 liter of milk (0.26 gallons) and eaten cheese pizza everyday since he was a third-grader, Jung says, while doing 2,000 reps on the jump rope.

“Jump rope was not really exercise, but it stimulated my growth,” Jung said. “That is how I grew 30 centimeters (0.9 feet) in three years.”

As well as improving his ball speed, Jung wants to get more accuracy and longer shots.

“My shot distances is my identity,” Jung said.

That approach has not always worked out for Jung, with many of his shots going so far as to end up out of bounds on Korean courses.

“Some of my shots went out of hit out of bounds on Korean golf courses even when I thought I hit them accurately,” Jung said. “I don’t think that Korean golf courses work well for me.”

Refining his shots and speed will be his primary task before he competes on the Asian Tour starting in August. Secured his tour card after winning his first KPGA title in May.

He will then jet off to the United States in September to compete in the Korn Ferry Tour Q-School — the qualifier for the Korn Ferry Tour. Jung will earn a Korn Ferry Tour card if he finishes first in Q-School, which will give him a chance to secure a place on the PGA Tour as well.

“I feel comfortable when I compete in the United States because I can swing my driver freely,” Jung said.

Until Jung moves on to greener pastures, he will continue to compete on the KPGA tour.

BY SUNG HO-JOON [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]