The most powerful people in Asian golf for 2025

Last year saw the remarkable ascent of leaders in the Asian golf industry.

Kim Young-Chan, founder and chairman of Golfzon, has held the undisputed No. 1 position for years and launched a new urban-style golf center called “City Golf” in Tianjin, China, last September. This cutting-edge screen golf facility showcased even more advanced technology.

Familiar faces follow, in addition to a new face to the list — Vicente Santos, chairman of Sta. Lucia Group, a major real estate company overseeing more than 200 development projects across the Philippines.

 

Here’s a look at this year’s most powerful people in Asian golf:

No. 1: Kim Young-Chan
Chairman, Golfzon Holdings

Golfzon, a global golf simulator company led by Chairman Kim Young-Chan, continues to expand its activities around the world, especially in North America, with the growth of golf entertainment.

Chairman Kim Young-Chan founded Golfzon as a screen golf venture in May 2000 and raised it to Golfzon Newdin Group, which conducts business such as on-course golf, distribution of golf equipment and a golf academy.

Golfzon has advanced to 63 countries. As of the end of 2023, it operated a total of 1,200 screen golf courses (approximately 640 in Japan, 230 in China, 190 in the United States, 70 in Vietnam and 100 in other countries). A total of 97 million rounds were held annually at home and abroad in 2023, with 44,000 Golfzon simulators in operation as of February 2024.

Golfzon announced a strategic partnership with Troon in the fall of 2021. Together they manage three ZSTRICT stores that opened in New York state in 2022.

Golfzon and Troon are actively pursuing plans to open Golfzon Social locations in several cities across North America.

Golfzon introduced City Golf, an urban golf course concept, at the PGA Show in January.

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No. 2: Yoo Shin-Il
Chairman, Hankuk Industry

Chairman Yoo Shin-Il founded Korea Industrial Co., Ltd. in 1990 and has been in the golf industry for more than 30 years. He caused a stir in the U.S. golf course industry by acquiring 17 golf courses — including the prestigious PGA WEST.

The ownership and operation of PGA WEST in a joint venture with Century Golf Partners served as an opportunity to raise awareness in the U.S. golf world. It acquired the 18-hole Isiji Sisaid Country Club located in Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, in 2024. Currently, Korea Industrial & Marine Co., Ltd. has a total of 26 golf courses in the U.S. and Japan.

Yoo has also been the honorary issuer of Golf Inc. Korea since June 2022. Korea Industrial & Marine Co., Ltd. operates 16 golf courses in the U.S. and 9 in Japan and is a golf equipment distribution company representing Korea.

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No. 3 Choi Dung-Kyu
Chairman, Daebo Group

As of 2024, Daebo employed approximately 4,000 people in construction, IT and leisure industries. Founded in June 1981, the group reached sales of 2 trillion won in 2024.

In June 2023, Chairman Choi Dung-Kyu founded the Stepping Stone Foundation, a public interest group. The foundation plans to hold Asian competitions and provide overseas golf training and mentoring programs with global athletes to teach junior players about international golf.

Daebo Group continues to host the annual Seowon Valley Charity Green Concert at Seowon Valley Country Club in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. This event has attracted more than 570,000 visitors since its inception in 2000.

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No. 4: Cho Minn Thant
Commissioner/CEO, Asian Tour

Cho Minn Thant has been part of the Asian Tour team since joining the pan-Asian professional golf tour in 2007. His 16-year experience at the organization has seen him manage events, sponsors and players before moving into more senior leadership positions in the past seven years. Cho was instrumental in the significant growth of the Asian Tour since the pandemic and has been positioning the Tour as one of the premium professional global golf circuits. He forged close relationships with key stakeholders including tournament promoters and sponsors as well as with Federation bodies and domestic sanctioning Tours in the region. This included the $300 million investment from LIV Golf and secured a 10-year partnership with Golf Saudi, allowing him to expand the Asian Tour’s reach with events in more parts of the world, including England, Scotland and the Middle East, with prize purses as high as $2.5 million.

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No. 5: Yuko Tashiro
CEO, Accordia Golf

Yuko Tashiro leads Japan’s largest golf course chain, which includes 198 courses and 26 driving ranges. Tashiro plays multiple roles, including chairman, president, CEO and representative director, roles he also holds for Next Golf Management.

The 2021 acquisition of the company by SoftBank’s Fortress Investment Group for $3.5 billion helped diversify the group’s portfolio and attract its hotel customers to Accordia’s golf facilities, which represent 12% of Japan’s golf market.

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No. 6: Kotaro Tanaka
CEO, Pacific Golf Management

Kotaro Tanaka assumed leadership of Pacific Golf Management in 2014, previously serving as vice president of sales. Founded in 2001, Pacific Golf Management went public in 2005 and has grown rapidly to its current size, expanding its IT, marketing and sales operations throughout Japan, prioritizing the acquisition of profitable golf courses. It now owns and operates 176 18-hole-equivalent golf courses in Japan.

In January 2025, Pacific Golf Management’s parent company, Heiwa, acquired Accordia Golf, Japan’s largest golf course operator, for 510 billion yen.

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No. 7: Nguyen Thi Nga
Chairwoman, BRG Group

Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Nga, founder of BRG Group, was honored by Forbes magazine as one of the three most powerful Vietnamese businesswomen. The company, which has been running for more than 30 years, operates in banking, real estate, hospitality and golf, mainly concentrated in Hanoi and the northern provinces of Vietnam.

Some of the BRG Group’s high-class golf courses include BRG Kings Island Golf Resort, BRG Da Nang Golf Resort, BRG Legend Hill Golf Resort and BRG Ruby Tree Golf Resort – Hai Phong, all of which were designed by Nicklaus Design. BRG Group and Marriott International Group announced a partnership in 2024 to work on the Sheraton Danang hotel project.

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No. 8: Choi Jung-Hun
CEO, Yido

Choi Jung-Hun is the founder and CEO of Yido, a Korean company specializing in integrated management for golf courses, and doing business in environmental and real estate industries.

Yido announced in February 2025 that it was taking over operations for Club The Players GC, a 27-hole public golf course located in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do.

With this agreement, Yido will own and operate a total of 126 holes and five golf courses in Korea. The company also operates Club de Cheongdam in Gangnam, Seoul, the first indoor complex golf cultural space in Korea, in partnership with Full Swing.

In March, Yido teamed up with the Didimdol Foundation to introduce a new golf initiative for young players called CLUBD Dream Tree. It is designed to help elementary or middle school age children achieve their dreams through golf and develop proper values.

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No. 9: Greg Norman
CEO, Greg Norman Co. & LIV Golf Investments

There was much speculation last year that Greg Norman would be ousted from his position as CEO of LIV Golf Investments. That has borne out, with sports and entertainment executive Scott O’Neil taking over the post at the beginning of the year. Norman will remain on LIV’s board of directors.

“We are establishing partnerships with incredible venues and markets who are embracing the league and what it delivers for sport, entertainment and culture,” he said.

A founder of the Greg Norman Co., he has helped design more than 100 golf courses on six continents. He also has a wine company, a Wagyu beef brand, an Australian heritage restaurant, a real estate development firm and an apparel company.

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No. 10: Vicente Santos
Chairman, Sta. Lucia Group

Vincente Santos served as a board member for the Orchard Golf and Country club and founded the Sta. Lucia Golf Tournament, which celebrated its 18th installment last year. Sta. Lucia Group is considered one of the Philippines’ biggest real estate companies, with more than 24,000 acres of land developed with more than 200 development projects throughout the country.

“I wanted to cultivate the love for golf among all people. That is why we hold the annual Sta. Lucia Golf Tournament,” Santos said.

(This story originally ran in the May/June 2025 issue of Golf Inc.)