Korean PGA Tour golfer
Sung Kang did not have an agent in February when he shot a 60 — a course record — at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
But the historically low score on Pebble Beach’s Monterey Peninsula course caused a lot of agents in the golf community to take notice. “It was like, ‘Who is this guy?” said Ross Chouler, golf director at Octagon.
Chouler ended up signing Kang, after Kang and his golf coach, Steve Johnson, conducted an agent search.
 |
Sung Kang is the first PGA Tour player to sign with Octagon’s rebooted golf practice.
Photo by: OCTAGON |
Kang is the first PGA Tour player Octagon has signed since restarting its golf representation practice two years ago, though the firm has signed multiple European and amateur golfers. Chouler, a South Africa native who specializes in representing international players, joined Octagon in April 2014 to help rebuild the practice after working at IMG.
Kang’s performance at Pebble Beach, Chouler said, is no fluke.
“This guy has really got it,” Chouler said. “I foresee him being an exceptionally good player in the future. We wouldn’t have signed him if we didn’t think that. I only want to sign players that I believe are major players and top-50 players in the world.”
Kang was No. 86 in the PGA Tour FedEx Cup rankings last week. He has won $544,488 playing golf this year.
Kang has a deal with TaylorMade for clubs and another with Acushnet Co. brands Titleist and FootJoy for balls, shoes and gloves, but those deals are up at the end of the year.
He wears the name of his college, Yonsei University, on the front of his cap, the prime sponsorship area for a golfer. But the Yonsei deal is more of a favor to the university and is not a contracted deal, so that sponsorship is open, too, Chouler said.
Kang has been wearing Under Armour but does not have a contract with the company, so his apparel category is open, as well.
Initially, Octagon will focus on getting Kang equipment, shoe and apparel deals, Chouler said. Octagon has an office in South Korea, and Octagon will look to get partnerships with Korean companies first and then American companies, depending on how Kang does on the PGA Tour.
Kang, 28, played on the PGA Tour in 2011 and 2012 before losing his card. He played on the Asian Tour and then earned his way onto the PGA Tour again in fall 2015, through his play on the Web.com Tour.
Companies like Kang and his story, Chouler said. “He’s a really intelligent, really fun guy,” Chouler said.
> PRIORITY SIGNS WIZARDS: Priority Sports & Entertainment has signed Washington Wizards guards Ramon Sessions and Garrett Temple. Founder and CEO Mark Bartelstein will represent them.
Temple was formerly represented by Performance Sports Management and Sessions by Allegiant Athletic Agency.
“Ramon is doing well in Washington and I expect great things for him in the future,” his former agent, A3’s Jared Karnes, said in an email.
> BEASLEY WITHOUT AN AGENT: Houston Rockets forward Michael Beasley has also left Allegiant Athletic Agency.
Beasley returned to the NBA to play for the Rockets in early March after playing in the Chinese Basketball Association and being named MVP of that league’s All-Star Game in January. Beasley had been with Karnes since 2013, but was without an agent last week.
Beasley was the No. 2 pick in the 2008 draft, but has been plagued by off-the-court issues. Originally drafted by the Miami Heat, Beasley played for the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Phoenix Suns before going back to the Heat for the 2013-14 NBA season. He played for the Heat again in 2015 before going on to play for the Shandong Golden Stars for the 2015-16 season.
Karnes thanked Heat President Pat Riley, general manager Andy Elisburg and coach Erik Spoelstra “for taking a chance on him in Miami when others wouldn’t.” Karnes also thanked Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey. “Daryl continues to live up to his reputation as an innovative leader who saw the value in Michael,” Karnes said.
Liz Mullen can be reached at lmullen@sportsbusinessjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @SBJLizMullen.
