Developmentally disabled golfer Lee Seung-min has already won it all. His next dream: Paralympic gold.

Lee Seung-min, who has completed a career Grand Slam in major golf tournaments for players with disabilities, has set his sights on his next goal: winning a Paralympic gold medal.

After debuting in 2017 as a professional golfer, Lee has held a special place among golfers with developmental disabilities on the field for nearly a decade. He was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at around 3.

Lee has won all three major tournaments open to such players. Starting with the U.S. Adaptive Open in 2022, Lee went on to win the Australian All Abilities Championship last year and the G4D Open in Wales in May, completing a career Grand Slam across the three majors.

Lee is now setting his sights on the Paralympics, although golf has yet to be included as an official sport and will not be part of the program at the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics.

“There is still a dream I have yet to achieve,” Lee said. “If golf becomes an official Paralympic sport, I want to compete for Korea and win a gold medal.”

Although it is not an official Olympic sport, Lee has taken inspiration from Park In-bee, who competed on the LPGA Tour, won every major championship during her career and captured the gold medal in golf at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

While preparing for his dream, Lee participated in the SK Telecom Adaptive Open at 88 Country Club in Yongin, Gyeonggi, on Monday, not as a competitor but as a supporter encouraging younger golfers. 

Now in its fifth year, the tournament was created to provide golfers with developmental disabilities with opportunities for growth and healing while promoting the social value of inclusion. SK hynix joined as a co-title sponsor this year.

Ahead of the SK Telecom Adaptive Open's tee-off Monday, Lee met with younger golfers.

“I want to hear younger players say, ‘I want to be like Seung-min,’” Lee said. “I will work even harder to become a better player.”

BY KO BONG-JUN [[email protected]]