John Huh Bio
John Chan-su Huh is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour. Born in New York City to Korean parents, he spent his childhood moving between South Korea, Chicago, and Los Angeles, an international upbringing that shaped his adaptability on the course. He is best known for his breakthrough victory at the 2012 Mayakoba Golf Classic, captured in only his fifth PGA Tour start, and for becoming the first player of Korean descent to earn PGA Tour Rookie of the Year honors.
Standing 6 feet tall and competing professionally since 2008, Huh has built a steady career across the Korean Tour, OneAsia Tour, and the PGA Tour. Residing in Los Angeles, California, he continues to represent the United States while honoring his Korean heritage through his family name and his connection to the Korean Tour where his professional journey began.
Early Life and Background
John Chan-su Huh was born on May 21, 1990, in New York City, New York, to Korean parents. Shortly after his birth, his family relocated to South Korea, where he spent the first twelve years of his life. The early years in his parents’ home country allowed him to grow up surrounded by Korean culture and language, an experience that helped shape his identity as both an American and a Korean-American athlete.
At the age of twelve, Huh moved with his family to Chicago, Illinois, where he lived for three years before relocating to Los Angeles, California. It was during these formative years in the United States that he developed his passion for golf. He later enrolled at California State University, Northridge, but attended classes for only two weeks. He left college because the lack of core courses prevented him from receiving a scholarship and being approved for NCAA competition, a decision that pushed him toward a full-time professional career.
Path to Professional Golf
Huh turned professional in 2008, beginning his career on the Korean Tour. He quickly made an impact, winning the 2010 Shinhan Donghae Open and earning the 2010 Korean Tour Rookie of the Year honor. These early successes demonstrated his competitive potential and laid the foundation for his move to bigger international tours.
During 2010 and 2011, Huh also played on the OneAsia Tour, finishing 46th and 15th on the Order of Merit in those respective seasons. His combined results on the Korean Tour and OneAsia Tour helped him reach the PGA Tour qualifying school, where he finished tied for 27th, earning his PGA Tour card for 2012. At the time, he had no starts on a U.S.-based professional tour, making his qualifying school success a remarkable leap onto one of the most competitive circuits in the world.
John Huh Career
Early Career (2008–2011)
From 2008 to 2011, Huh established himself on the Korean Tour, playing three full seasons and sharpening his skills against seasoned international competition. His standout moment came in 2010 when he captured the Shinhan Donghae Open, a victory that announced his arrival as a serious contender. He followed that win with the Korean Tour Rookie of the Year award, cementing his reputation as one of the circuit’s brightest young talents.
Parallel to his Korean Tour schedule, Huh expanded his horizons on the OneAsia Tour, where he gained valuable experience competing in mixed international fields. By the end of 2011, he had built a strong enough résumé to attempt the PGA Tour qualifying school, setting the stage for his historic rookie season in the United States.
PGA Tour Breakthrough (2012–2013)
Huh’s PGA Tour debut season in 2012 was nothing short of extraordinary. In only his second event, he finished tied for sixth at the Farmers Insurance Open, and he followed that with a tied 12th at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Then, in just his fifth PGA Tour start, he won the Mayakoba Golf Classic, defeating Robert Allenby in an eight-hole sudden-death playoff, the second-longest playoff in PGA Tour history at the time. Allenby had held a two-stroke lead with one hole to play but double-bogeyed after putting his tee shot in the trees, and Huh’s par forced the playoff.
He made the cut in his first six PGA Tour events, contended at the Valero Texas Open, where he finished tied for second, two shots behind champion Ben Curtis, and posted a tied fifth at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. He also became the only rookie to advance to the 2012 Tour Championship, finishing 28th on the money list, which earned him entry into the 2013 Masters Tournament. His dominant rookie campaign was capped with the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award, making him the first player of Korean descent to receive the honor.
In 2013, Huh finished tied for 11th at the Masters Tournament and recorded a career-best tied third at the Wyndham Championship. He reached a career-high 62nd in the Official World Golf Ranking on January 6, 2013, a mark that stood as his best ranking. He also earned entry into the 2014 Masters with his strong performance.
Later PGA Tour Years (2014–Present)
Following his breakthrough, Huh continued to play the PGA Tour with mixed results. In 2014, he posted two tied third-place finishes at the Valero Texas Open and the Barracuda Championship, finishing 96th in the FedEx Cup. In 2015, despite no finish better than 17th, he ended the year 110th in the FedEx Cup. The 2016 season brought a tied sixth at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and a 95th-place FedEx Cup finish, while 2017 included two top-10 finishes at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and the Valspar Championship, ending 121st in the FedEx Cup.
The 2018 season featured a tied third at the CareerBuilder Challenge, his seventh straight season making the FedEx Cup playoffs, and a 112th-place FedEx Cup finish. Injuries later took a toll, limiting him to 13 events with only four made cuts in one season and a 220th-place FedEx Cup ranking. In his most recent PGA Tour play, he competed in 8 events, made 5 cuts, but never finished higher than tied 40th, ending 213th in the FedEx Cup.
Driving Style and Strengths
Huh is known for a calm, steady playing style and an ability to perform under pressure, qualities that were on full display during his record-setting playoff win at the 2012 Mayakoba Golf Classic. His early-career success on the Korean Tour demonstrated strong course-management skills, and his consistent cuts made on the PGA Tour highlighted a patient, strategic approach to tournament golf. Throughout his career, he has shown the composure needed to grind out scores on difficult courses.
Notable Events and Milestones
Huh’s signature moment remains his victory at the 2012 Mayakoba Golf Classic, where he defeated Robert Allenby in the second-longest sudden-death playoff in PGA Tour history. He also became the first player of Korean descent to win the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award, a milestone that added to the growing presence of Korean players on the PGA Tour. His tied 11th finish at the 2013 Masters Tournament stands as his best performance in a major championship, while his career-high ranking of 62nd in the Official World Golf Ranking marked the peak of his competitive trajectory.
John Huh Career Wins
Across his professional career, John Huh has recorded two verified wins, one on the PGA Tour and one on the Korean Tour. His PGA Tour victory at the 2012 Mayakoba Golf Classic remains his most celebrated result, while his 2010 Shinhan Donghae Open win announced his arrival as a young talent on the Korean circuit.
PGA Tour Highlights
Huh’s lone PGA Tour victory came at the 2012 Mayakoba Golf Classic, where he defeated Robert Allenby in an eight-hole sudden-death playoff. The win came in only his fifth PGA Tour start, making it one of the most remarkable debut-season performances of its era. He has yet to add a second PGA Tour title.
Korean Tour Highlights
On the Korean Tour, Huh’s standout result was his victory at the 2010 Shinhan Donghae Open. The win, combined with his rookie season success, earned him the 2010 Korean Tour Rookie of the Year award, an honor that helped him secure entry into the OneAsia Tour and eventually the PGA Tour qualifying school.
| Tour | Wins | Top Tens | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PGA Tour | 1 | Multiple | 2012 Mayakoba Golf Classic |
| Korean Tour | 1 | Multiple | 2010 Shinhan Donghae Open |
John Huh Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Not applicable to golf, but Huh’s family background is rooted in Korean heritage. He was born in New York City to Korean parents and spent the first twelve years of his life in South Korea before relocating to the United States. His family’s move through Chicago and later Los Angeles shaped his multicultural upbringing, an experience that has influenced his perspective as an American golfer competing internationally.
Personal Life
Huh resides in Los Angeles, California, the city he moved to during his teenage years. His international upbringing, including formative years in South Korea, Chicago, and Los Angeles, has played a key role in shaping both his personal outlook and his professional career. He attended California State University, Northridge, although his enrollment was brief before he turned professional.
2025 Season Performance
Entering 2025, John Huh’s recent PGA Tour form has been a challenge, with his last full season on tour ending 213th in the FedEx Cup after competing in only 8 events. The injuries and limited play that hampered his previous campaigns have made the 2025 season a question of opportunity and consistency, as he works to regain his competitive rhythm on a tour that demands full-season participation to secure playing privileges.
Given his history of seven straight seasons making the FedEx Cup playoffs earlier in his career, Huh has demonstrated the durability and consistency needed to compete at the highest level. A successful 2025 campaign would likely require healthier playing time, more made cuts, and a return to the kind of steady scoring that defined his earlier years on the PGA Tour. His career-best tied third at the CareerBuilder Challenge and tied 11th at the Masters highlight the level he is capable of reaching when in form.
Looking ahead, Huh’s 2025 outlook will depend heavily on his health and ability to string together competitive rounds. While his rookie-season heroics and his status as the first Korean-descent PGA Tour Rookie of the Year remain defining achievements, his focus now is on recapturing the form that once made him one of the PGA Tour’s most promising young players.