Who is Kevin Yu? All you need to know about the Taiwanese golfer

Kevin Yu is a Taiwanese professional golfer who is the talk of the town after taking the lead at the 2024 Farmers Insurance Open. The PGA Tour event got underway on Wednesday, January 24, and Yu stunned the golf community with a resounding performance in the first round of the tournament.

Yu was born on August 11, 1998, in Taoyuan, Taiwan and now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. He has been blessed with an incredible amateur career.

Kevin Yu has competed for his nation in several international competitions over the years, and in 2013, he won a gold medal at the Asian Youth Games. He had a successful outing at the Asian Youth Games in 2014 as well, where he won the individual bronze medal and a gold for his team.

The 25-year-old graduated from Arizona State University and competed in several college golf tournaments. He won three collegiate tournaments and placed third at the 2019 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship. He won the 2019 Australian Masters of the Amateurs.

During his amateur career, Yu also won the Western Junior in 2015, the National Invitational Tournament in 2017 and the Bandon Dunes Championship in 2018.

After his successful amateur career, Kevin Yu turned pro in 2021 and joined the Korn Ferry Tour. He started playing on the PGA Tour last year and grabbed attention after taking the lead at this week's Farmers Insurance Open.

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Kevin Yu's performance at the 2024 Farmers Insurance Open

Kevin Yu started with a round of 64 on Wednesday at the 2024 Farmers Insurance Open. He shot a bogey-free round with eight birdies.

Yu started with two back-to-back birdies on the initial two holes. He teed off on the 10th hole of North Torrey Pines Golf Course and shot birdies on the 10th, 11th and then 13th holes. He made two more birdies on the front nine and added three on the back nine of the opening round to score 8-under-64.

Kevin Yu took a one-stroke lead in the game over Patrick Cantlay and Ryo Hisatsune.

Opening up about his performance after the first round, he said (via La Jolla Light):

“I’ve been hitting very good, so I don’t have to try to hit a lot — like my maximum distance out there. I just have to hit a lot of fairways. That was the plan today. ... If I hit a lot of fairways, I can have a lot of chance to get on the green and try to make some putts.”

The second round of the tournament will take place on Thursday, January 25. Kevin Yu will tee off for the second round at 11:50 a.m. ET on the first tee hole of South Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, California.