1. Early Life
Mo Joong-kyung was born on August 23, 1971, in Seoul, South Korea. He decided to pursue a professional golf career and officially turned professional in 1995.
2. Professional Career
Mo Joong-kyung's professional career has seen him compete primarily on the Korean Tour and the Asian Tour, achieving significant success on both. He has notably earned recognition as the Korean Tour Rookie of the Year.
2.1. Career Progression
After turning professional in 1995, Mo Joong-kyung primarily focused on playing within South Korea to remain close to his family. His dedication to the Korean domestic circuit led to five victories over his career. His most successful year on the Korean Tour was 2004, marking the first time his season-long earnings reached 100.00 K KRW. He consistently maintained full-time status on the Asian Tour for many years following his early successes.
2.2. Asian Tour
Mo Joong-kyung has a notable record on the Asian Tour, securing two significant victories. His first win came in 1996 at the Guam Open, where he triumphed by three strokes over a group of three competitors. In 1997, he achieved a respectable runner-up finish at the Asian Honda Classic, though he was considerably behind eventual winner Tiger Woods.
His second Asian Tour victory occurred in 2008 at the Singha Thailand PGA Championship. In this tournament, he defeated experienced players such as Juvic Pagunsan and local favorite Prayad Marksaeng in the final stretch, securing what he considered the biggest win of his career. He attributed this success to his perseverance and self-belief during the event in Chiang Rai. Later in the same year, 2008, he recorded a top-10 finish at the Volvo Masters of Asia, making it his most successful season on the Asian Tour overall.
2.3. Korean Tour
Mo Joong-kyung has been a prominent figure on the Korean Tour, where he has accumulated five professional wins. His triumphs include the Chungcheong Open in 2000, the KTRD Open in 2002, the Sports Toto Open in 2004, the SBS Gaya Open in 2006, and the Maeil Dairies Open in 2016. The year 2004 was particularly strong for him on the domestic circuit, being the first time he achieved six-figure earnings in a single season.
2.4. Team Appearances
Mo Joong-kyung has represented South Korea and Asia in international team golf competitions:
- In 1997, he represented South Korea at the Alfred Dunhill Cup.
- In 2005, he was part of the Asia team that emerged victorious at the Dynasty Cup.
3. Professional Wins
Mo Joong-kyung has recorded a total of seven professional tournament victories throughout his career, comprising two wins on the Asian Tour and five wins on the Korean Tour.
3.1. Asian Tour Wins
Mo Joong-kyung has won two tournaments on the Asian Tour:
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 12, 1996 | Guam Open | -1 (77-73-70-67=287) | 3 strokes | Don Fardon, Aaron Meeks, Jeff Wagner |
| 2 | June 29, 2008 | Singha Thailand PGA Championship | -21 (69-64-69-65=267) | 3 strokes | Juvic Pagunsan |
He has participated in one playoff on the Asian Tour:
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2004 | Volkswagen Masters-China | Rahil Gangjee | Lost to par on first extra hole |
3.2. Korean Tour Wins
Mo Joong-kyung has won five tournaments on the Korean Tour:
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 9, 2000 | Chungcheong Open | -13 (71-70-71-63=275) | 7 strokes | Choi Gwang-soo, Yang Yong-eun |
| 2 | November 10, 2002 | KTRD Open | -7 (69-73-69-70=281) | 1 stroke | Choi Sang-ho, Kang Wook-soon, Lee Jun-young |
| 3 | July 9, 2004 | Sports Toto Open | -12 (70-71-69-66=276) | 1 stroke | Jang Ik-jae |
| 4 | July 30, 2006 | SBS Gaya Open | -15 (68-70-67-68=273) | 1 stroke | Bae Sang-moon, Jun Tae-hyun, Park Do-kyu |
| 5 | May 15, 2016 | Maeil Dairies Open | -18 (69-67-68-66=270) | 3 strokes | Kang Kyung-nam |
4. Personal Life
Mo Joong-kyung currently resides in his birthplace, Seoul, South Korea, with his wife and one child.