https://arab.news/c3pke
- Danny Lee and Jinichiro Kozuma return to the club for 2025 season after contract extensions
NEW YORK: Iron Heads Golf Club have announced the team’s finalized roster heading into the 2025 LIV Golf League season.
Following a valiant performance at the 2024 Team Championship in Dallas, the club has re-signed stalwart Danny Lee and budding talent Jinichiro Kozuma.
Rounding out Kevin Na’s team is the external acquisition of 22-year-old star, Yubin Jang, the No. 1 golfer from the Korean Tour.
Jang produced a dominant season finishing as the KPGA Money Leader and Genesis Points Champion, and first in Top 10 Finishes. The young gun is a three-time Korean Tour winner and won gold at the 2023 Asian Games.
“As a promising young talent from Korea, I’ve been following his career for years and have had my eye on him to join the team,” said Na, the Iron Heads captain.
“The Iron Heads needed young talent like his to push our veterans, and I’m confident he has what it takes to become a world-class golfer.
"Yubin’s presence shows young Korean golfers a clear path to competing globally against the best, and with an event in Korea this year, his addition is a major boost for our team. It’s an incredibly exciting time for Korean golf.”
Iron Heads Golf Club scripted one of the most memorable chapters in the short history of LIV Golf when, against all odds, they finished tied for second at the Team Championship in Dallas.
Fueled by both Lee and Kozuma, the unlikely finalists proved to be giant killers, taking down two seeded favorites in Smash GC (quarterfinals) and Crushers GC (semifinals).
Kozuma, the reigning Japanese Sansan KBC Augusta Champion, dropped a 3-meter birdie putt on the 18th hole to extend the match, prior to closing out the victory with a 9.1-meter for par on the first extra hole.
Lee, the 2023 LIV Golf Tucson champion, defeated the 2023 LIV Golf Individual Champion Talor Gooch and reigning US Open Champion Bryson DeChambeau in back-to-back singles matches en route to the finals.
“We’re thrilled to re-sign Danny and Jini, who were pivotal to our strong finish last season,” said Iron Heads Golf Club General Manager Martin Kim.
“Danny is a proven winner in this league with great energy and Jini’s emerging talent will be essential as we strive to become a contender at every event.
“I’m really loving our roster with the addition of our new young gun (Jang). It’s going to be a fun ride next season.”
This offseason, the team will have a two-week training camp in Palm Springs, California, prior to teeing off the season at LIV Golf Riyadh from Feb. 6 to 8.
Given LIV Golf’s recent market expansion for the 2025 season, the Iron Heads will look ahead to their own “home event” as they play host at LIV Golf Korea from May 2 to 4 at the iconic Jack Nicklaus Golf Club.