Sang-Moon Bae, who captured the Frys.com Open at Silverado to start the 2014-15 PGA Tour season in October, might be forced to return home and join the South Korean army for a two-year stint.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Bae has been denied an extension of his overseas travel permit, which expires on Wednesday. He would be required to return to South Korea, where he could face military conscription.
“Bae has spent some time in South Korea recently, but his occupation as a touring professional golfer must be taken into account,” said an official at Jipyong, the law firm which represents Bae.
“He should still be considered an overseas resident who has spent a year or more in the United States after getting his residency. It’s up to Bae to take legal action as his last resort.”
Able-bodied South Korean men between the ages of 18 and 35 are required to serve two years in the military.
The 28-year-old Bae, whose 14 professional victories also include the HP 2013 Byron Nelson Championship, might be saved by golf returning to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
South Koreans who win medals on the Olympics are exempt from military duty and he should be on the team because he is the top South Korean in the World Golf Rankings at No. 84.
However, he must sort out this problem first.
