K.J. Choi and 10 Lessons We Learned at the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass

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at Internationaled.org

Published: May 16, 2011

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K.J. Choi would never have been anyone's pick to win The Players Championship. He was so far under the radar that he would have been below ground.

The "smart" money was on Luke Donald; the sentimental money was on Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson. But Woods pulled out after nine holes, and Mickelson could not craft a birdie barrage that lasted despite posting a 31 for one nine.

So when Choi and former PGA Champion David Toms ended up in a playoff at the infamous 17th hole, it was perhaps a surprise to non-golf fans, but not to Choi or Toms.

Toms, winner of 12 PGA Tour titles, recently regained interest in his game because his 13-year old son has started playing.

Choi is a different story entirely. He took up golf at age 16 and studied Golf My Way by Jack Nicklaus. Choi turned pro in 1994 and moved to the US in 1999. In the fall of that year, he entered the PGA Q- school and tied for 35th, which earned him a playing card for 2000.

Choi succeeded starting with little knowledge of the language or culture in the U.S. but wanting to play golf on the PGA Tour. Choi moved to Jacksonville, Fl, Ponte Vedra Beach's next door neighbor, and used to practice at TPC Sawgrass.

"When I first joined the Tour, moved over here in 1999, this course—my level of talent golf-wise wasn't good enough to shoot under par on this course," Choi admitted about the TPC Sawgrass. "When you practice in Korea, the only practice driving range you have is like indoor driving ranges where there's no wind."

With the help of a seasoned caddie, Andy Prodger, who was on Nick Faldo's bag for his first Masters victory, Choi has become a veteran winner. Sunday, he outplayed all the household names, major champs and wanna-be winners.

"Andy is like my wife," Choi said about his trusted associate. "When I'm not playing well, he's got a lot of humor. He cracks jokes and makes me feel better."

Choi also h...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Golf

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