If Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods the gold standards of being able to compartmentalize, South Korea's Sang-Moon Bae's concentration will be tested at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions next week in Maui, Hawaii.
GolfChannel.com reported that the 28-year-old Bae, who qualified for the Tournament of Champions event by winning the Frys Open in October, is in the middle of an issue with the South Korean government over military service.
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South Korean males between the ages of 18-35 must serve a two-year military service. Enlistment in the military, golfchannel.com reported, remains a requirement because South Korea never signed a peace treaty with North Korea when the countries split in 1953.
According to Reuters, Yonhap news agency reported earlier this week that Bae's mother said the golfer had his overseas travel permit extension request rejected by the Military Manpower Administration.
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Athletes in the past have been allowed to bypass military service, Reuters reported; the Korean government grants waivers to those who win a gold media in the Asian Games or any type of medal in the Olympics.
Bae is the No. 2 golfer in South Korea and would be expected to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro when the sport makes its return.
"Sang-Moon Bae is seeking legal counsel to work through the military issues in Korea," Bae's manager said in a release. "He has a valid Green Card, and Sang-Moon intends to stay in the United States as long as it is lawful to do so and play on the PGA TOUR this year, beginning with next week's Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Kapalua. As this is an ongoing legal matter, he will make no additional statements until the issue is resolved."
In May, McIlroy announced his split from fiancee Caroline Wozniacki and then went out and won the BMW PGA Championship on the European Tour. Tiger Woods, whose life was shattered with reports of extra-marital affairs in 2009, reclaimed the No. 1 ranking in 2013 with five PGA Tour wins.
Bae made his PGA Tour debut in 2012 and was granted U.S. residency in 2012, Reuters reported. Golfchannel.com added that he is currently second early in the Fed Ex Cup rankings and is the No. 84 golfer in the world.
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