SAN ANTONIO – Long before he ever contemplated being a collegiate golfer, Joshua Hong aspired to be a professional tennis player.
Hong, a native of Guadalajara, Mexico, and a descendant of South Korea, is a standout freshman for the Roadrunners’ men’s golf program that opens play in the American Conference Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Members Club in Sarasota, Fla., on Monday.
“When I was 11 or 12, I didn’t know about the college aspect, but I wanted to be a professional tennis player,” Hong said. “I’ve always had the thought that if I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it the best I can. I always wanted to be an athlete.”
He is a dual citizen of both Mexico and South Korea. Hong has embraced all the cultural aspects that he has experienced in his life, which he believes have helped him make a smooth transition to college in the United States.
“Both my parents are Korean and my grandmom lives with us so, in my house, all the culture is like Korea,” he said. “Outside it’s all Mexico. I think the good aspect of dual citizenship is that I grabbed the good things about Mexico and the good things about Korea. I mixed them and now I’m learning about the United States. I’m trying to mix it into who I am.”
Hong first took up golf in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a course near his home and, with limited access to most activities, he decided to give the sport a try.
“I started playing pretty late,” Hong said. “My dad told me, ‘You should try it.” I tried it, I liked it and I started playing good. That’s when I fell in love with the sport. I know I’ve only been playing for like six years, but I think I’ve practiced more than people who have played 10 or 12 years because I really like it and I really want to be good. I practice a lot.”
By 2024, Hong was the No. 1-ranked junior golfer in Mexico both in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and the Junior Golf Scoreboard. He won the 2024 Copa Centro Mexico Championship and claimed multiple victories in WAGR events. Hong also represented the Mexican Golf Federation in a number of international tournaments and initially thought he would try the professional route once he completed high school.
“Three years ago, I didn’t want to go to college,” Hong said. “If I was good enough, I wanted to be a professional. But I saw so many college players turn pro after. I really liked the idea of the four-year experience. If I had gone from junior golf straight to pro, I think I would have missed many things that the college students were seeing. I didn’t want to miss that.”
Hong felt that the challenging competition he would face in the United States would be excellent preparation as he looks forward to a future professional career.
“One of the main reasons I wanted to come to the U.S., the courses in Mexico and here in the states are completely different,” Hong said. “Everything is so different; it’s really hard to adjust. Playing the schedule we’re playing, playing against the players we’re playing, if it’s hard, it’s going to help me improve and I’m going to be better.”
When Hong began the recruitment process, several key themes stood out about UTSA – its proximity to home in Mexico, its head coach Matt Wernecke who has coached at an elite level in both high school and college, and the fact that the Roadrunners’ team facility is part of TPC San Antonio, home of the Professional Golf Association’s Valero Texas Open.
“We have TPC San Antonio and I think it’s really cool for us to be able to play and practice there every day,” Hong said. “The coaches are really nice and the weather is similar to Mexico. Before I decided to come here, I met a few advisors and professors who were very nice and very athlete-friendly. That’s what moved me the most.”
Upon coming to UTSA, Hong had the opportunity to reunite with Francisco Solorza, a friend and fellow Guadalajara native he knew well from playing in tournaments in Mexico. The two represented their home country in the 2024 Boys & Girls Junior Americas Cup Team Match. Solorza initially went to Loyola Marymount but chose to transfer to UTSA following his freshman season.
“When Fran entered the transfer portal, I told coach he would help the team improve and that’s what he’s doing,” Hong said. “We’re really good friends and have played at so many tournaments together. It’s been really good because when we struggle, we do it together, and when we succeed, we celebrate together. We’re pretty much always together; it’s been great.”
At such an early stage in his collegiate career, Hong has already made his mark. He earned individual medalist honors at the USAA Military City Collegiate earlier this spring, helping lead the Roadrunners to a first-place team finish. Hong also tied the school record with an 8-under-par 64 opening round at the Golden Nugget Invitational. He was named the American Conference Golfer of the Week on March 4.
It’s the chemistry that exists within the team, Hong believes, that has positioned the Roadrunners well entering this week’s American Conference Championship.
“We’re all really good friends – all seven of us,” he said. “It’s really nice because we help each other a lot. Sometimes when we’re struggling, one teammate sends a message, ‘keep going,’ or ‘let’s get it rolling.’ The teamwork has been really good.”
Hong is a business management major in UT San Antonio's Carlos Alvarez College of Business. He expects to play professionally but has contemplated someday pursuing a career coaching golf. Hong has embraced the growth he knows he will experience over the next three-plus years of his collegiate career as he focuses on a strong finish to the 2025-26 season.
“I’m still learning every day,” Hong said. “I am trying to be the best teammate possible. Whether I succeed or not, it’s something I’m going to learn from.”