Kevin Na opens up on broken engagement to South Korean woman

Kevin Na has revealed in an exclusive interview with Golf.com that the "false rumours" he briefly discussed after his recent PGA Tour win in Las Vegas were about his broken engagement with a South Korean from 2013. 

Just moments after Na, 36, clinched his fourth PGA Tour title two weeks ago at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open for his third win since July 2018, he wasted little time in addressing his fans with a cryptic message.

Standing on the 18th green after defeating Patrick Cantlay with a par at the second extra hole, the Korean American said: "To my Korean fans, for always supporting and believing in me despite all these false rumours, I want to say thank you."

WATCH: KEVIN NA DENIES "FALSE RUMOURS"

But a week later, Na went into detail with Golf.com to explain exactly what he was going on about. 

According to the interview, Na told how the story had to do with a broken engagement with a South Korean who remains unnamed but has the surname Chung.

"I haven’t wanted to talk about all of this but it’s been bothering me for quite some time," Na told Golf.com. "There have been too many rumors and false statements and it’s been very hurtful. Now I have a family and I feel I need to protect them and my name."

Na met his ex-fiance in 2013 and the pair were then engaged by the end of that year. Their wedding was planned for November 2014 but it was called off a month before while Na was competing in Seoul at the  Korean Open. 

The two families agreed to meet in what Na expected to be a "respectful way to formally end the engagement and gain closure." 

However, as per the Golf.com interview, that is when things became messy as the ex-fiance's dad threatened him in a bid to save the marriage. 

"Her dad told me, 'if you don't change your mind and marry my daughter, I'm coming after you," said Na. 

Days later, the ex-fiance's mother then got involved, waiting outside the course at the Korean Open with a sign that read: 'American golfer Na! Give back my daughter's life as cleanly as you sent her stuff back.'

Lawsuits were filed against Na, but he countered them and won years later with Chung reportedly having to pay $50,000 as a result. 

Na, now a four-time PGA Tour winner following his third victory in the space of 15 months, is now happily married to wife Julianne and they have two children - one of which was born earlier this year. 

Despite his recent wins, though, Na admits his victories have not been received too well in Korea and that was the reason for his message.

"For five years I had stayed silent," Na told Golf.com. "The advice I was always given was just to play good golf and not focus on the nonsense and that's what I did. But enough is enough.

"I hadn't planned to say anything [in Las Vegas] but I couldn't help it. I'm sorry I rambled on so long and confused all the viewers in the US."

Na is playing golf in Seoul this week at The CJ Cup on the PGA Tour, and he admits he is feeling a little nervous about the prospect.

"I love Korea and the fans over here," Na told Golf.com. "I'm playing the best golf in my life. This should be a great week, but we'll see how it goes. I just want the fans to get to know the real me, 

"In some ways, I feel like I've been forced to hide. I'm not doing that anymore."