Asia's first major winner Yang Yong-Eun said Monday his victory in last year's PGA Championship had increased the pressure on his shoulders as he prepares for this week's Masters.
South Korea's Yang held off world number one Tiger Woods in a memorable battle at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota in August and will be part of Asia's challenge at the season's opening major at Augusta National.
The battle for the famous green blazer starts Thursday and Yang said he hoped to carry his PGA success into his third appearance at the Masters.
"I want to keep the wins coming but as you know, winning on the PGA Tour or anywhere isn't easy," he said.
"Just because you have won a major doesn't suddenly escalate your talent. It is merely an achievement which is quite precious to me but it doesn't win me any more tournaments or count as multiple wins.
"There is added pressure which I need to brush off and keep my mental game as it was 10 to 15 years ago. I really have to pace myself to meet my own expectations."
Yang's best performance at the Masters came on his debut year in 2007, when he tied for 30th place.
The Korean was a latecomer to golf, picking up the game at the age of 19 with the aim of teaching at the local driving range on South Korea's Jeju island.
Yang boasts an impressive Masters pedigree in one respect -- his first golf coaching came from tapes of champions Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo.
"My first coach was Nick Faldo. And then it was Jack Nicklaus. They were easy to afford really. Their instructional videos cost only about two dollars for three days' rental. Sometimes I would have them 'teach' me for hours till I got blisters," Yang said.
Though he did not understand the instructions, Yang said, he mimicked the great players' swings, replaying the tapes until they wore out.
Copyright 2010  AFP American Edition
