![]() Choi continued his good early season from at the Northern Trust Open where he finished in a tie for fifth, despite holding the co-lead during the final round. The result moved Choi up 197 places in the world rankings from 334th to 137th. He was previously 5 for 5 in converted 54 holes leads to victories. This was notable because it was the first time in Choi's PGA Tour career that he did not convert a 54-hole lead or co-lead into a win. ![]() In February 2016, Choi finished runner-up at the Farmers Insurance Open to Brandt Snedeker, during a Monday finish to the weather disrupted event. Following his win, Choi donated $200,000 to help victims of the tornadoes that ravaged the southeastern United States in April. This to date is the South Korean's biggest PGA Tour victory. Toms however also missed the return four footer for par leaving Choi with a three-foot par putt to seal victory. Both players found the green at the first extra hole, the 17th, and then missed with their attempted birdie efforts. Choi had a one shot lead going down the 18th hole in regulation time, but Toms made birdie while Choi could only chip and putt for a par taking it to a sudden-death playoff. In May 2011, Choi won The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in a playoff against David Toms. In March 2008, Choi reached fifth place in the rankings.Īfter his 7th PGA Tour victory at the 2008 Sony Open in Hawaii, Choi donated $320,000 of his earnings to the victims' families of a warehouse fire in Seoul, South Korea, which killed over forty people.Ĭhoi won his fourth title on the Asian Tour in Malaysia in 2009 at the Iskandar Johor Open, which was reduced to 3 rounds due to inclement weather. In January 2008, Choi won the Sony Open in Hawaii and rose to world number 7. In August 2007 he reached the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time. Choi was a crowd favorite and threw his golf ball into the crowd after holing his sand shot on the 17th hole. He made a spectacular sand trap shot on the 17th hole for a birdie to clinch the win over Steve Stricker by 3 shots. The trophy is a small replica of the U.S. He mentioned on CBS during the AT&T National that he read Jack Nicklaus's "Golf My Way" book early in his golf career, which assisted him in becoming the golfer he is today.Ĭhoi won the first AT&T National hosted by Tiger Woods at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. ![]() Ĭhoi won Jack Nicklaus's Memorial Tournament in 2007. In 2003 he won the Linde German Masters on the European Tour, his first and only win to date on the European Tour. In 2002 he became the first Korean to win on the PGA Tour at the Compaq Classic of New Orleans, and followed it up with another victory at the Tampa Bay Classic later that year. In his rookie season in 2000 he finished 134th on the money list and had to requalify, but since 2001 he has been a consistent performer on the tour. He was the first Korean to earn a PGA Tour card. Īfter establishing his career on the Korean Tour, where he picked up his first professional win in 1995, and the Japan Golf Tour, where he won twice in 1999, Choi qualified for membership of the U.S.-based PGA Tour by finishing tied 35th at the 1999 qualifying tournament. Professional career Ĭhoi turned professional in 1994 after fulfilling his military obligation. His most notable victory came at the 2011 Players Championship, and he has spent 40 weeks in the top-10 of the world rankings. Since turning pro in 1994, he has won more than twenty professional golf tournaments worldwide, including eight on the PGA Tour, making him Asia's most successful male golfer. Choi Kyung-Ju ( Korean: 최경주 born ), commonly known as K. J. Choi, is a South Korean professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions.
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