David Lipsky may not be a household name like some players on the PGA Tour. Since turning pro in 2011, Lipsky first burst onto the scene with a win at the 2014 Omega European Masters and has collected four career victories so far. Sure, a PGA Tour title is still on his wish list, but Lipsky’s no rookie when it comes to competing with the big boys. Fast forward to today, and he’s teed it up in over 128 events, steadily grinding his way through the PGA Tour and inching ever closer to that breakthrough win. But beyond the scorecards and statistics, Lipsky’s story gets even more interesting as he brings a unique cultural blend to the golf course.

David Lipsky was born on July 14, 1988, and has an interesting cultural combination. He’s half Jewish and half Korean. While his mother, Yon Suk Lipsky, hails from Korea, she is now an American citizen. While he resembles his mother in looks, Lipsky implied that he inherited his religion from his father, Aaron Lipsky, who is a Jewish American. “I wouldn’t say I’m at all observant, but I’m definitely Jewish. As far as I know, I’m the only Jewish player out here. And when I play in Los Angeles or in New York, with the big Jewish populations there, I hear from Jewish fans,” Lipsky said at the 2022 Arnold Palmer Invitational.

There are many times when Lipsky is often mistaken for being a citizen of other countries because of his last name when he tees it up at pro-ams. “A lot of times, when I get to the first tee at pro-ams, guys will say, ‘Oh, we thought you’d be Polish or something.’ And I’m like, ‘Nope — I’m American,” Lipsky shared. Even when he won in Switzerland at the 2014 Omega European Masters, someone came up to him to ask if he would represent a different country in the Olympics.

“After I won in Switzerland, a guy came up to me and said, ‘Would you be interested in becoming an Israeli citizen and representing Israel in golf in the Olympics?’ And I said, ‘No, I appreciate it, but I’m American,” Lipsky recalled the bizarre incident in 2022. Lipsky also has some family members in Mexico. “They emigrated to Mexico because they couldn’t get into the United States at the time,” Lipsky once mentioned.

While Lipsky currently resides in Las Vegas, he was born in L.A., California. He was introduced to golf by his parents when he was 10 years old. Lipsky attended La Cañada High School in California, the same school as Collin Morikawa. Lipsky was a bright student and had a GPA of 4.0, but he also balanced his studious side with stellar performances in junior golf. He won several tournaments as a junior, including the 2004 Junior Tour Championship at PGA West, and was even named to the LA All-Southern Section in 2004. Lipsky shone at Northwestern University, where he clinched the Big Ten individual title in 2010. Then he turned pro.

While a lot of credit goes to his incredible talent, Lipsky feels that some of the choices he makes are because of where he comes from.

Lipsky credits his ethnicity for his choices

While he comes from a multicultural background, Lipsky has played across the globe except Antarctica, including on the Asian Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour. During these adventures, he has had a chance to sample all sorts of local cuisines and is an avid foodie because of his family background.

“I’m from a multiethnic background. My whole family’s in the restaurant business,” Lipsky shared at the 2023 Memorial, where he was contending for the title after the second round. “I think that leads a lot to why I make the choices I do. I don’t shy away from too much. There are a few things, but no, not too much,” he continued to add.

While his ethnicity has played a role in his career, it has also led to some bizarre food choices. “I remember playing in Vietnam, and I had snake liquor from a restaurant. There’s a snake at the bottom of this barrel, and that was it. They were distilling some alcohol, and the owner gave us a couple of shots. It was terrible. But I still took it,” Lipsky confessed.

Are you rooting for Lipsky’s first win on the PGA Tour soon?