A LESSON LEARNED: Y.E. YANG TAKES DOWN TIGER WOODS

August 17, 2009 -- I think most golf fans are still processing what we all saw this past week -- Tiger Woods actually lost a major championship when entering the final day with a lead (two shots in this case.) It's the first time in 15 attempts that someone has tracked down and passed Woods (though Rocco Mediate did a valiant attempt at it in the 2008 U.S. Open) and rightfully, it is the topic of the golf world right now.

• Complete Coverage of the 2009 PGA Championship

But let's not forget, Y.E. Yang played a huge part in this too. How many great golfers have been paired with Tiger Woods in the last round of a major championship, only to wilt away under the intense pressure that is major championship golf, and the incredible scrutiny and demands that playing with perhaps the greatest player the game has ever seen? Crowds, press cameras, fans openly cheering for Tiger, it can certainly be enough to cause a player to press or at the least, get out of their comfort zone.

But not Mr. Y.E. Yang, the South Korean who didn't even pick up a club until he was 19 years old, somehow took on all the pressure and expectations of playing against Tiger (and from behind to start the day!) and kept his wits enough to catch and pass him. And how did he do it? He did it by NOT playing Tiger Woods.

Yang understands that there's no such thing as defense in golf. Other players cannot block your shot or tackle you before your make a putt (though that could add an element of excitement you could argue). Rather than getting caught up in trying to hit the ball as far as Tiger, or match him shot for shot, Yang simply tried to put up the best score he could and dared Tiger to try and beat that. It was actually quite "Tiger-esque", especially on the back nine on Sunday.

I was out on the course for most of the week, sending in updates for PGA.com, and I can tell you, unless Yang had the correct mindset, he had no chance on Sunday. A giant throng of fans and media were following Tiger's every move and nearly everyone was waiting for the classic Tiger moment when he made a putt or hit a shot that would propel him to this fifth PGA Championship. And just as much, everyone was waiting for Yang to hit that shot or miss that putt that would put him on the long list of contenders who were scalped by Tiger on the final day.

So what can you learn from Y.E. Yang's incredible triumph? Think about how many times you've played rounds with friends or in a competition of sorts, where you spend as much time thinking about what your opponent is doing as you do your own shot? Do you tense up because someone in your group just blasted a drive down the middle or knocked an approach shot close? If your opponent knocks one in the drink, do you feel more relaxed?

If you're playing match play, you should be very aware of where your opponent is and that may determine your on-course strategy. But in stroke play, whether it's for a round or a four-day tournament, your focus should be on playing your game and putting up the best score you can. If you can post a number, one that you're happy with, and someone beats you, then you tip your cap and shake their hand and say "well played." But I've seen far too many players, amateurs and pros, get overly caught up with what others in the group are doing and it throws them off their game.

Y.E. Yang said himself, he may not win another tournament -- but if he shows the poise, talent and composure he showed this week, I have a sneaking suspicion he will, maybe many more. Tiger Woods is, has been and will be a great champion. But Y.E. Yang is the one with the Wanamaker Trophy. And he didn't get it gift wrapped, he went ot and earned it. Not by shooting matching Tiger shot for shot, but by playing his best golf -- on a day that Tiger didn't. It's a great lesson for all golfers to learn.

Ed Money is the General Manager of Rush Creek Golf Club in Maple Grove, Minn. Ed has attained membership both as Class A PGA Professional and with the Golf Course Superintendents Assoc. He has worked at many top courses around the country but has been in Minnesota for 15 years. Ed has worked with all levels of players; from beginning golfers to those on Tour.