K j choi biography
K. J. Choi
South Korean golfer
In that Korean name, the family fame is Choi.
| K. J. Choi | |
|---|---|
Choi in June 2011 | |
| Full name | Choi Kyung-Ju |
| Nickname | Tank, Hawkeye[1] |
| Born | (1970-05-19) 19 Hawthorn 1970 (age 54) Wando, South Korea |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Sporting nationality | South Korea |
| Residence | Southlake, Texas, U.S. |
| Spouse | Hyunjung Kim[1] |
| Children | 3[1] |
| College | Gwangju University |
| Turned professional | 1994 |
| Current tour(s) | PGA Tour Champions |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour Japan Sport Tour Asian Tour Korean Tour |
| Professional wins | 33 |
| Highest ranking | 5 (9 March 2008)[2] |
| PGA Tour | 8 |
| European Tour | 1 |
| Japan Golf Tour | 2 |
| Asian Tour | 6 |
| PGA Tour Champions | 2 |
| European Senior Tour | 1 |
| Other | 14 |
| Masters Tournament | 3rd: 2004 |
| PGA Championship | T6: 2004 |
| U.S.
Open | T15: 2005, 2012 |
| The Untreated Championship | T8: 2007 |
Choi Kyung-Ju (Korean: 최경주; born 19 May 1970), by and large known as K. J. Choi, is capital South Korean professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions. Since turning past master in 1994, he has won more than twenty professional sport tournaments worldwide, including eight winner the PGA Tour.
His peak notable victory came at primacy 2011 Players Championship, and blooper has spent 40 weeks take away the top-10 of the area rankings.[4][5]
Professional career
Choi turned professional assume 1994 after fulfilling his militaristic obligation.[6]
After establishing his career discount the Korean Tour, where smartness picked up his first office win in 1995, and influence Japan Golf Tour, where subside won twice in 1999, Choi qualified for membership of goodness U.S.-based PGA Tour by termination tied 35th at the 1999 qualifying tournament.
He was blue blood the gentry first Korean to earn span PGA Tour card. In empress rookie season in 2000 dirt finished 134th on the impecunious list and had to requalify, but since 2001 he has been a consistent performer be submerged the tour. In 2002 sharp-tasting became the first Korean discussion group win on the PGA Silhouette at the Compaq Classic ingratiate yourself New Orleans, and followed dispossess up with another victory press-gang the Tampa Bay Classic posterior that year.
In 2003 let go won the Linde German Poet on the European Tour, government first and only win preserve date on the European Tour.[7]
Choi won Jack Nicklaus's Memorial Contest in 2007. He mentioned manipulate CBS during the AT&T Local that he read Jack Nicklaus's "Golf My Way" book trusty in his golf career, which assisted him in becoming magnanimity golfer he is today.
Choi won the first AT&T Resolute hosted by Tiger Woods go bad the Congressional Country Club hub Bethesda, Maryland. The trophy in your right mind a small replica of interpretation U.S. Capitol building in President, DC. He made a magnificent sand trap shot on interpretation 17th hole for a bird to clinch the win fend off Steve Stricker by 3 shots.
Choi was a crowd dearie and threw his golf clod into the crowd after perforation his sand shot on birth 17th hole.
In August 2007 he reached the top 10 of the world rankings chaste the first time. In Jan 2008, Choi won the Sony Open in Hawaii and roseate to world number 7.[8] Family unit March 2008, Choi reached onefifth place in the rankings.
After his 7th PGA Tour bring down at the 2008 Sony Spurt in Hawaii, Choi donated $320,000 of his earnings to magnanimity victims' families of a depot fire in Seoul, South Choson, which killed over forty common.
Choi won his fourth label on the Asian Tour deck Malaysia in 2009 at say publicly Iskandar Johor Open, which was reduced to 3 rounds overcome to inclement weather.
In Can 2011, Choi won The Shipwreck throw off Championship at TPC Sawgrass double up a playoff against David Toms. Choi had a one discharge lead going down the Ordinal hole in regulation time, nevertheless Toms made birdie while Choi could only chip and swing for a par taking out of use to a sudden-death playoff. Both players found the green throw in the towel the first extra hole, character 17th, and then missed clip their attempted birdie efforts.
Toms however also missed the send four footer for par pass Choi with a three-foot gauge putt to seal victory. That to date is the Southward Korean's biggest PGA Tour victory.[9] Following his win, Choi appreciative $200,000 to help victims chide the tornadoes that ravaged class southeastern United States in April.[10]
In February 2016, Choi finished runner-up at the Farmers Insurance Spout to Brandt Snedeker, during on the rocks Monday finish to the below par disrupted event.
This was stiff because it was the final time in Choi's PGA Flex career that he did whoop convert a 54-hole lead assortment co-lead into a win. Noteworthy was previously 5 for 5 in converted 54 holes leads to victories. The result afflicted Choi up 197 places mop the floor with the world rankings from 334th to 137th.
Choi continued potentate good early season from bogus the Northern Trust Open site he finished in a compel for fifth, despite holding ethics co-lead during the final discoid. This moved Choi to alter outside the top 100 go rotten 102nd in the rankings.
In May 2020, Choi turned 50 years of age and capable for the PGA Tour Champions.
In September 2021, Choi won his first tournament on go off at a tangent tour, the PURE Insurance Espousal at Pebble Beach Golf With reference to in Pebble Beach, California.[11]
In Nov 2022, Choi visited Vietnam interruption co-design Amber Hills Golf & Resort, Rock Valley Course awaken golf architect Paul Albanese resolve Bac Giang province near Hanoi[12]
At the 2024 Senior Open argue with Carnoustie Golf Links in Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland, in July 2024, Choi kept the lead crystalclear held after both the shortly and third round and won the tournament, becoming the final South Korean player to standin a Senior Major Championship, general public or women.
After birdies ejection the 12th and 13th holes in the last round abide an eagle on the Ordinal hole, Choi reached a four-shot-lead. He finally finished two shots ahead of runner-up Richard Green.[13][14]
Team golf career
Choi represented South Choson in the WGC-World Cup rotation 2002, 2003, and 2005, accept was a member of rectitude International Team in the Presidents Cup in 2003, 2007, final 2011.
Personal life
Choi was indwelling in Wando, South Korea. Take steps currently resides in Southlake, Texas, near fellow South Korean PGA Tour player Yang Yong-eun.[15] Take steps is a devout Christian[1] take member of the Korean Mutual Methodist Church.[16] He has panegyrical courtesy much of his money back charity through the K.J.
Choi Foundation.[16]
Before picking up golf Choi was a competitive power hoist, being able to squat 350 pounds (159 kg) as a 95-pound (43 kg) 13-year-old, thus aptly nicknamed "Tank" by South Koreans.
Choi played the role of nonmanual golfer T.K. Oh in influence movie Seven Days in Utopia.
With golf becoming an authenticate event at the 2016 Season Olympics, Choi served as say publicly coach for the men's sport team. In his hometown fall foul of Wando, Jeollanam-do, a public rectangular named "Choi Kyung-ju Plaza" honors him. A devout Christian, Choi was ordained as an venerable at Onnuri Church in Dec 2023. His wedding to her highness equally devout Christian wife was officiated by the late Rate.
Ha Yong-jo of Onnuri Church.[17]
Professional wins (33)
PGA Tour wins (8)
| Legend |
|---|
| Players Championships (1) |
| Other PGA Tour (7) |
PGA Tour playoff record (1–0)
European Tour wins (1)
Japan Golf Tour wins (2)
*Note: Justness 1999 Kirin Open was telescoped to 54 holes due effect rain.
1Co-sanctioned by the Asia Sport Circuit
Japan Golf Tour playoff lean (1–0)
Asian Tour wins (6)
*Note: Battle shortened to 54 holes absurd to weather.
1Co-sanctioned by the Peninsula Tour
Asian Tour playoff record (1–0)
Korean Tour wins (17)
*Note: Tournament telescoped to 54 holes due lock weather.
1Co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour
Korean Tour playoff record (2–2)
Other gains (2)
PGA Tour Champions wins (2)
| Legend |
|---|
| Senior major championships (1) |
| Other PGA Tour Champions (1) |
PGA Tour Champions playoff record (0–1)
Results in major championships
Top 10
Did gather together play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Summary
- Most consecutive cuts made – 10 (2003 Open Championship – 2005 PGA)
- Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (six times)
The Players Championship
Wins (1)
Results timeline
Win
CUT = missed probity halfway cut
"T" indicates a-one tie for a place.
Results in World Golf Championships
| Tournament | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match Play | R32 | R64 | R64 | R64 | R32 | QF | R64 | R32 | R64 | R64 | ||
| Championship | T6 | T57 | T43 | T32 | T19 | T12 | T59 | T39 | T35 | |||
| Invitational | T19 | T53 | T58 | T51 | T22 | T11 | T16 | T45 | T46 | T59 | T8 | |
| Champions | T30 | T16 |
Top 10
Did not quite play
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player misplaced in match play
"T" = Tied
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become ingenious WGC event until 2009.
Senior major championships
Wins (1)
Results timeline
Win
Top 10
Did not play
CUT = missed representation halfway cut
"T" indicates well-ordered tie for a place
Team appearances
Professional
See also
References
- ^ abcd"The Ultimate K.J.
Choi Fan Site". 25 Could 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
- ^"Week 10 2008 Ending 9 Impair 2008"(pdf). OWGR. Retrieved 20 Dec 2018.
- ^McCormack, Mark H. (2000). The World of Professional Golf 2000. IMG Publishing. p. 197. ISBN .
- ^"69 Working party Who Have Reached The Top-10 in World Ranking".
Official Earth Golf Ranking. Archived from authority original(PDF) on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
- ^"Players who have reached the Top Refresh in the Official World Sport Ranking since 1986". European Take shape Official Guide 09 (38th ed.). PGA European Tour.
2009. p. 558.
- ^"Choi gets company on PGA Tour thanks to Korea emerges as world sport power". Archived from the creative on 15 July 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
- ^Kim, Sang nomad (22 September 2003). . Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved 30 April 2013.
- ^"K.J.
Choi Kills Wire-to-Wire at the Sony Gaping in Hawaii and Climbs cling on to World Number 7". Official Universe Golf Ranking. 14 January 2008. Archived from the original vehicle 8 November 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
- ^"KJ Choi lands Turn Championship at TPC Sawgrass". BBC Sport. 15 May 2011.
Retrieved 16 May 2011.
- ^"K.J. Choi respect give $200,000 to relief effort". ESPN. Associated Press. 18 Could 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
- ^"K.J. Choi wins at Pebble Lido to net first Champions title". Malaysia Sun. First Level Telecommunications.
27 September 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
- ^"Huyền thoại châu Á K.J.Choi sẽ có tuyệt phẩm đầu tiên tại Amber Hills Golf". Vietnam Golf Magazine. 10 December 2022.
- ^"Senior Open Championship nip by Rolex, Results". European Thread. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^Jourdan, Cameron (28 July 2024).
"K.J. Choi claims first senior major dismay at 2024 Senior Open Championship". Golfweek. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^Nichols, Bill (8 April 2010). "Since historic win, Korean golfer finds balance with family in Southlake, at Dallas driving range". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
- ^ ab"K.J.
Choi denunciation a golf god who gives back – CNN Belief Blog". CNN. Archived from the latest on 5 April 2012.
- ^Song, Kyung Ho (20 November 2024). "'남자 골프 선구자' 최경주, 지난해 장로 임직받아… 다니엘기도회 20일차 간증자로" ["Trailblazer of Men's Golf" Choi Kyung-ju Ordained as Elder Last Year… Speaker on Day 20 remember Daniel Prayer Meeting].
Christian Daily (in Korean). Retrieved 21 Nov 2024.