"When I joined LIV, they always had plans to play in Korea. But it’s not as simple as picking up a phone and trying to get an event there."
For IronHeads GC captain Kevin Na, this season's inaugural LIV Golf Korea event has been three years in the making. From the moment he arrived at the PIF-backed circuit in 2022, plans were put in place to try and fix up a tournament in the country of his birth.
Three years later, and Na is set to lead a largely Korean-themed IronHeads GC into what is effectively their maiden home game at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea.
Na, new signing Yubin Jang, and Incheon-born Danny Lee all took their first breath on Korean soil - with the latter preparing to return to the town of his birth for a much-anticipated 54-hole competition.
Meanwhile, their teammate - Japan's Jinichiro Kozuma - may not have roots in the country, but his homeland is no more than a stone's throw across the water so Korea's debut tournament is likely to be fairly comfortable.
But if LIV had always wanted to stop off in Korea, what took so long?
Speaking to Golf Monthly, Na explained: "There are a lot of things that have to be done and figured out before they give it the thumbs up. You have to get the blessings of the tour, you have to get the blessings of the golf courses.
"A lot of these Korean golf courses, they’re very picky about what tournaments they host because of the members and it’s such a high price in membership that the members have to OK it.
"But there are a few people who really have influence on golf in Korea, and those are the people I called for help to get this contract done and get Jack Nicklaus Golf Club to come on board.
"We’re extremely excited to have a tournament in Korea, with three Korean-born players on our team. We worked really hard, I personally worked very hard to get that tournament in Korea and have the right people help us to get it over the line. Every step of the way, getting the tournament there, I was a part of it."
Having witnessed the likes of Ripper GC, Fireballs GC, and Majesticks GC enjoy partizan backing in Australia, Spain, and England, respectively, Na admitted he is very much looking forward to benefitting from Korea's love of golf in May.
Before Korea was marked on the calendar, the closest Na and co. came to experiencing home comforts arrived in either Thailand, Hong Kong or Singapore.
The IronHeads skipper said: "I’m really excited to show the Korean fans what LIV Golf is all about. To have a team with three Korean-born players in and to have Korean sponsors, and to go and play at one of the best, if not the best, golf courses in Korea - Jack Nicklaus Golf Club - is extremely exciting.
"I know the fans are going to be supportive, and the media is already creating quite a bit of a buzz in Korea over Yubin’s signing and us finally looking somewhat unified as a team and having a theme.
"Once the Korean fans get to see what LIV Golf is all about, live and in person, they’re going to love it and they’re going to be fans for life."
The 41-year-old's confidence in Korea's thirst for the sport appears well judged as the nation with roughly 52 million inhabitants apparently tops the list of most money spent per golfer in the world.
Plus, according to Na, Korea is home to the biggest golf market in Asia and the second largest on the planet.
He continued: "LIV understands the importance of the Korean market, and I believe we might be the second biggest golf market in the world. We’re definitely number one in Asia.
"The corporations in Korea are heavily invested into golf, and once the fans come and see the best players in the world… because they don’t get a field like this in Korea, I know they’ve had other events there, but not to this level.
"For them to see all the superstars get together in Korea and play in front of them, and with the three Korean-born players on a team, it’s going to be massive."
LIV Golf Korea is set to take place at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon - near the country's capital, Seoul - between May 2-4.
