Golfers attempting to return from LIV Golf to the PGA Tour are not always guaranteed immediate reinstatement. Many even face a one-year ban as part of the Tour’s eligibility process. Thus, a LIV Golf pro collaborating with a PGA Tour star is a sight that looks pretty far-fetched at the moment. But that is exactly what Lydia Ko did, sending the golfing realm into a frenzy. As Ko recently became one of the first set of LPGA stars to join Tiger Woods’ WTGL, she also had a fun time out with none other than Byeong Hun An. 

“Thank you for a great match today @benan0917 @luke.kwon @ samheungmin.golf @toomsgolf @lydsko,” read the caption on an Instagram story from the Korean Golf Club. 

The picture showed An alongside Ko and others, enjoying a lighthearted game of golf. Another picture caught An posing happily with Ko and Luke Toomey. Byeong Hun An recently rattled the golfing realm with his decision to switch to LIV Golf. This came as quite a surprise because the South Korean golfer had been a part of the PGA Tour since the time he earned his tour card for the 2016-17 season. 

According to the official announcement from LIV, Byeong Hun An will be joining the Korean Golf Club as the captain in the upcoming season. An’s inclusion in the team will mark the beginning of a significant shift in the dynamics. Till now, the team was known as the Iron Heads Golf Club. But after its rebranding on Monday, it will be known as the Korean Golf Club. 

Coming into the side, An will replace Kevin Na, who was handling the captaincy duties for the team till now. As Na departed, rumors about him being utterly unhappy with the decision made rounds. The Korean American veteran reportedly unfollowed both LIV Golf and his former team, the Korean Golf Club. 

Thankfully, despite clouds of controversy surrounding the team, An has kept an upbeat outlook. 

In his official statement, the 34-year-old golfer seemed excited for his new role as he said, “I have always been passionate about supporting junior golfers and the next generation of players. While this is just the beginning, I want to help these athletes realize their dreams on the world stage.” 

He further added, “Leading the Korean Golf Club is the perfect opportunity to achieve that goal. I am incredibly excited about this new role and the journey ahead. I kindly ask for your continued support and interest as I take on this new challenge.”

Well, as it stands, An looks pretty much locked in for starting a new chapter in his life. And speaking of delving into something new, Lydia Ko’s bold collaboration with An was certainly a breath of fresh air amidst the ongoing PGA Tour-LIV Golf tensions. But she is not stopping at that. A couple of months earlier, Ko shared her varying opinion on the matter surrounding golfers participating in walk-and-talk interviews, going against the PGA Tour pro.   

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Lydia Ko joins Thomas to address the challenges brought forward by recent changes

Justin Thomas returned to the role of being a member of the Player Advisory Council (PAC) in 2025. Aiming for the Tour’s betterment, Thomas took a dig at the packed schedule of the tour back in November 2025. He clearly stated that fans might have to choose between faster match play or matches in harder and more demanding courses. He hinted at how challenging courses slow the play, so fans must choose either difficulty or speed. 

While Thomas advocated for changes to the schedule, he voiced his support for organizing more walk-and-talk interviews during match play. In the midst of this, LPGA star Lydia Ko was questioned about her take on how she has been asked to take time out for more ‘walk-and-talk’ interviews. 

Ko said, “Yeah, obviously kind of depends on what routine a certain player wants. I think it’s sometimes hard, honestly, to do it because you don’t know what, how you’re going to play that hole. They might say you’re going to do it on 12, and I might have hit it on the water on 12, and the last thing you want to do is talk about what’s been going on with your round.”

It indeed gets tough for many golfers to manage a walk-and-talk interview while they are trying to concentrate on their games. Even more so when they tend to lose their temper over a disappointing shot. Thus, balancing media obligations with peak performance remains a delicate challenge for golfers.