Veteran PGA Tour player Kevin Na is married and has a young daughter. Na, 34, was born in South Korea and came to the U.S. with his family when he as a child.
Na earned his second career victory on the PGA Tour at the 2018 A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier tournament in West Virginia on July 8. Na entered the final round one shot behind co-leaders Kelly Kraft and Harold Varner III at 13-under. He was 6-under on Sunday to pull ahead by five shots and win at 19-under.
Here’s what you need to know about Kevin Na, his wife, his daughter and his family:
1. Kevin Na Was Born in Seoul, Came to California When He Was 8 & Is a Naturalized U.S. Citizen
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Kevin Na was born Sangwook Na in 1983 in Seoul, South Korea, according to the PGA Tour website. Na moved to California with his parents, Yong Na and Hye-Won Na, and his brother, Sang-hyeon “Austin” Na, when Kevin was 8. They settled in Diamond Bar.
His brother, Austin, was also a golfer and now works for the Golf Channel as a commentator in Seoul, according to Golf.com.
Kevin’s mother is an American citizen and when he turned 18, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen as well. He told PGATour.com, “My mother is an American citizen, and so when I turned 18 — I was born in Korea, so when I turned 18 I basically had a choice. I could become an American citizen or stay a Korean citizen, and I chose to be an American citizen and so I just filled out the paperwork and got it in the mail.”
Na told The Korea Times in 2015, “We’re Korean American. We came to America, we adopted this place as a home, but at the same time we can’t disregard our heritage. I love my Korean heritage, the food, the music. I’m proud. But I’m also proud to be an American because I grew up here in the states. This is my home.”
2. His Parents Followed Him on the PGA Tour After He Left High School to Turn Pro at 17
Kevin Na left Diamond Bar High School when he was 17 to turn pro and pursue a career in golf, according to Golf.com.
“I just loved golf,” Na told the website in 2016. “I wanted to chase a dream, and I wanted to get there quickly.”
Na’s parents followed him around as he made his way to the PGA Tour as a teenager.
In 2015, at The Players Championship, he talked about his mother, who goes by Annie Na and is known around the PGA Tour as Mama Na, during a post-round press conference. “I love my mom. She’s the sweetest lady in the world. Even now, I mean, I go visit her and (it’s) just, ‘Kevin, do you need anything? You want me to cook for you?’ I’m still her baby. I’m the youngest in the family, and if it wasn’t for my mother, I probably wouldn’t be here where I am. I had a lot of support growing up, and I haven’t seen her in a while, so I miss her.”
Na’s father was diagnosed with leukemia in 2011 and Kevin played with the goal of winning for him.
“When we first found it was really hard,” Na told Golf Digest in 2011. “But I want to stay positive. I just try to think of him that he’s healthy. They really don’t know what’s going to happen because the next year is very important for him. He needs to take medication exactly on the dot when he needs to, and if that works out, he might extend his life. But who knows. I really don’t want to go any further than that.”
He added, “He taught me how to play golf, and he’s caddied for me before. We won a tournament together on the Asian Tour when he was carrying the bag. He’s pretty involved with my golf game.”
3. Na Has Been Married to His Wife, Jullianne Na, Since 2016
Kevin Na and his wife, Jullianne Na, were married in Beverly Hills on April 24, 2017, according to his Instagram profile. Musician Kenny G played at his wedding, according to the social media post.
In September 2016, he wrote a loving tribute to his wife on Instagram “Happy Birthday to my beautiful wife and the mother of Sophia! I Love You with all my heart! hope we celebrate 70+ bdays together! this selfie was from early this year on our wedding day in Beverly Hills.”
Like Kevin, Jullianne is originally from South Korea.
4. His Daughter, Sophia, Was Born in 2016 & He Skipped a Tournament That Year to Be With Her & His Wife
Kevin Na’s daughter, Sophia Ria, was born August 29, 2016, Na posted on Instagram. He wrote, “I love u Sophia! wife is doing well too! my wife and I am very blessed to have such a beautiful baby! such a amazing feeling. can’t describe this amazing emotional feeling we are feeling. so blessed! thank u God.”
Na skipped the Deutsche Bank Championship in 2016 to stay with his wife and daughter after she was born. “Hard to leave home when I see my baby girl. No Deutsche Bank Championship. BMW next. It will be tough leaving home to play BMW,” he wrote on Instagram.
Na has posted several photos with his daughter on Instagram as she travels around the country with him and his wife while he plays on the PGA Tour.
5. Na Has Earned More Than $26 Million & Lives in the Affluent Southern Highlands Area of Las Vegas
Kevin Na has earned more than $26 million during his professional career, according to the PGA Tour website. Entering the 2018 season, Na was among the top 50 all-time career money earners in PGA Tour history. With his victory at The Greenbrier, Na will add another $1.314 million to that career total.
He has been on the PGA Tour for several years, and has one previous win, in 2011 at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas. He also won in 2006 on the Web.com Tour and has one victory on the Asian Tour, in 2002.
Na lives on the Southern Highlands Golf Club, an affluent area of Las Vegas with average home prices of $1.7 million. He moved there in 2016, according to an Instagram post.
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Kevin Na’s Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know