Byeong Hun An's Mental Shift Fuels Charge at Valspar Championship
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Synopsis
Byeong Hun An from South Korea is optimistic that a change in his mental strategy will lead him to his first PGA Tour victory. After shooting a 4-under 67 at the Valspar Championship, he has risen into contention, currently tied for second place.
Key Takeaways
- Byeong Hun An aims for his first PGA Tour win.
- He shot a strong 4-under 67 at the Valspar Championship.
- An is tied for second with Ryo Hisatsune and Viktor Hovland.
- His putting has improved significantly over the past few weeks.
- The golfer reflects on past struggles and newfound confidence.
Palm Harbor (USA), March 22 (NationPress) South Korea’s Byeong Hun An believes that a shift in his mental strategy will guide him towards his first PGA Tour victory after making a strong move in the Valspar Championship with a 4-under 67 on Friday.
The 33-year-old An achieved five birdies with only one bogey at Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead Course) in Palm Harbor, Florida, where his total of 5-under placed him in a tie for second with Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune (66) and 2023 FedExCup champion, Viktor Hovland (67). American Jacob Bridgeman leads the USD 8.7 million tournament by one stroke after shooting 69.
Kevin Yu from Chinese Taipei and three-time PGA Tour winner, Tom Kim, are tied for 14th place following rounds of 68 and 66, demonstrating strong representation from Asian players on the second day.
After debuting in the Tour Championship and clinching a second DP World Tour title at the Genesis Championship at the end of last season, An took some time to elevate his game in 2025. It took him seven starts to achieve his first top-10 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard earlier this month, and he finished T52 at The Players Championship last weekend.
“I’m quite pleased. I’m striking the ball well. I had some excellent moments with my short game. Putting has been fairly solid. I haven’t missed many putts lately. It’s not that everything is going in, but I’m enjoying this type of putting performance in recent weeks, so I hope it continues. I believe I’m hitting the ball much better than at the start of the year, so I hope that continues as well,” An expressed.
He acknowledged that he had become overly focused on results, which contributed to a slow start this season, leading to three missed cuts in his first six tournaments before finishing T8 at Bay Hill. His ball striking over 36 holes at Innisbrook has been remarkable, ranking in the top 20 for Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (8th) and Approach the Green (16th).
“It’s (the swing) slightly different than on the range. I tend to be more result-oriented rather than focusing on the swing I want. I’ve been working on that the past couple of weeks. It’s feeling much better, more in line with my range swing, and while it still won’t be exactly the same as my range swing, I’m trying to replicate that on the course,” said An, who has five career runner-up finishes on the Tour.
This talented Korean golfer won on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2022 at the LECOM Suncoast Classic, which is located not far from Innisbrook, and he hopes to ride the Florida vibe towards a first PGA Tour victory this weekend.
“This year, my goals are to win a Tour event and qualify for the Tour Championship. That’s the aim, as it is every year,” An noted.
“I lost my card in 2022 and that (LECOM Suncoast Classic) was my third event back. Now I’m back on the TOUR, but that third event really helped me. It was a significant confidence booster because I had a rough year prior, and winning made the rest of the year much easier,” he added.
Hisatsune, 22, recorded seven birdies with two bogeys for a 66, moving him into contention. The emerging young Japanese star converted two long birdie putts from nearly 30 feet on the third and eighth holes, chasing his first Tour victory. He ranked fifth in Strokes Gained: Putting on Friday.
“I’m very pleased. The past few weeks have been quite challenging. I felt a bit nervous at the start, but I made a good birdie early on, and then I felt more comfortable as I continued,” Hisatsune remarked, whose season includes one top-10 finish in Mexico and four missed cuts, including at last week’s Players.
