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Sang-Moon Bae struggles in return to golf following military service
Chris Condon
Sang-Moon Bae struggled in his first competitive tournament in return to golf following a two-year stint in the South Korean military. Playing in the Shinhan Donghae Open -- an event co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Korean PGA -- the 31-year-old failed to find his footing, shooting a seven-over two-day total to miss the cut by five shots. It was his first professional appearance since the 2015 Presidents Cup.
Two years ago, Bae was in the midst of a career campaign on the PGA Tour. He won the Frys.com Open, racked up over $2.6 million in earnings and earned a spot on the Presidents Cup's International team, held in his native country of South Korea. Unfortunately for Bae, other responsibilities called, as his homeland requires all able-bodied males 18-to-35 to complete a two-year military commitment. Bae sought a wavier from the courts but lost his battle, and was forced to leave his sport for service.
Bae is expected to make his PGA Tour comeback this fall. He will enjoy full status for the 2017-18 season through a Family Crisis and Major Medical exemption.