"You enhanced our people's morale by winning the major title for the first time as an Asian."

AP's Kwang-Tae Kim tracks down Y.E. Yang's family and reports that the president called Yang. Photos are posted with the story showing billboard photos that have already been erected.

Golf is huge in South Korea, which in recent years has produced a number of top female players. But the top ranks had until now evaded Asia's men.

Even South Korea's president, Lee Myung-bak, watched the tournament live on TV. He later phoned Yang to offer his congratulations.

"I woke up at dawn today to watch the broadcast, and you played in a calm manner," Lee told Yang, according to the president's office. "First of all, you enhanced our people's morale by winning the major title for the first time as an Asian."

Comments

[Vince Spence]

They should throw him a ticker tape parade in Seoul like New Yorkers did for Hogan in 1953 after his win at Carnoustie...

[the q]

I find it most interesting and a telling sign of race relations in America, that a one quarter black, one half Asian is asked at a press conference his thoughts on the "inevitability" of an Asian golfer winning a major.

Instead of saying, "wait, i believe its happened 14 times" he instead responded with the usual bla bla bla, Asian golf bla bla bla

Tigers mom is 3/4 Asian and Earl Woods was 1/4 chinese, so I guess that makes Tiger "black".

When America's obsession with "how much black does he have in him" so we can call him a Negro stops, perhaps we can say we have come along way.

Until then, Halle Berry is black, so is D Jeter, Hines ward, Obama etc.....

Also, Tiger rarely if ever mentions his Asian roots, so he should shoulder some of the blame.

[ReverendTMac]

"Second of all, the people of Korea are finally willing to forget that you won your two previous majors under the pseudonyms of Steve Jones and Wayne Grady."

[Raider Fan]

Did the Dear Leader in North Korea watch? He probably was busy...

[Nelson]

I read that Yang ate in the same Korean restaurant every night. What was so good on the menu?

[Wag]

Dog...

[GB]

the q, Tiger probably feels 100% American, i.e. thinks of himself as "from a country" rather than "of a race". In this sense he is 0% Asian.
By the way, that makes sense to me, what with the blurred concept that race is (and Tiger is a case in point)