[Field Story] Choi Kyung-ju's Passion and Challenge... "Age Is Just a Number"

53-Year-Old Gives Up Easy Path to Rechallenge Regular Tour
Goal to Compete Until Age 70: "Constantly Challenging and Researching"

This is the passion (熱情) for golf. It refers to 'Tank' Choi Kyung-ju. Since 2023, interesting news has been reported. Choi Kyung-ju, ranked 1437th in the world, scored 4 under par in the first round of the PGA Tour Sony Open held on the 12th in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. Although he failed to advance to the main tournament, he brought a fresh breeze to the golf world in the new year.

Choi Kyung-ju is examining the putting line on the 10th hole of the first round at the Sony Open. Photo by PGA Tour

Choi Kyung-ju, born in 1970, mainly competes on the Champions (Senior) Tour for players aged 50 and above. It is relatively less competitive, and just participating guarantees prize money. Despite the Champions Tour offering both money and prestige, he is competing in shot battles against players young enough to be his sons. Watching juniors like Kim Joo-hyung and Im Sung-jae win reignited his passion. Choi said, "This year, I plan to focus on the PGA Tour," adding, "It won't be easy to survive the competition, but I will give it a try."

Choi Kyung-ju does not have a full PGA Tour card. He can enter some tournaments based on his career earnings ranking (28th with $32,803,596) and as a past winner. If he improves his re-ranking position early in the season within his category, he can participate in more than 20 tournaments in a season. In fact, he was not qualified to enter the Sony Open but participated through a special invitation.

Choi Kyung-ju is a pioneer of Korean men's golf. He was born in a small fishing village in Wando, Jeollanam-do. In his childhood, he experienced soccer, ssireum (Korean wrestling), spear throwing, and weightlifting, and started golf in his first year at Wando Fisheries High School. He passed the professional test in 1993 and won his first trophy at the Korean Tour Phantom Open two years later. In 1999, he moved to Japan and won twice before challenging the Qualifying (Q) School, achieving his dream of joining the PGA in 2000?the first Korean player to do so.

In 2002, Choi became the first Korean and the third Asian to win at the Compaq Classic, and he rose to 5th in the world rankings, the highest ever for an Asian player. In 2011, he won his eighth career title at The Players Championship, the most by a Korean. In 2020, he became the first Korean to conquer the top spot on the Champions Tour.

Choi Kyung-ju is a legend who succeeded through hard work. Early in his golf career, he practiced by watching swing manuals and videotapes of Jack Nicklaus (USA). Without proper coaching available, he famously buried a tire halfway in the ground and hit it with a golf club. When clubs broke easily, he welded a metal weight to a water pipe to practice his swing. To earn green fees, he washed customers' cars at the driving range and ran errands.

Choi learned the basics of golf by hitting countless shots at the Myeongsasimni Beach in Wando. He especially spent a lot of time in bunkers. Long hitter Kim Dae-hyun shared an interesting interview: after training with Choi during winter, he said, "We practiced bunker shots for four hours a day," adding, "We barely came out of the bunker and even rested on the sand."

Choi dreams of playing on the field until he is 70. To maintain competitiveness, he manages himself strictly. He has quit wine and controls his carbohydrate intake. During the off-season, he corrected his spine. He sweated from early morning until late evening at the practice range, focusing on improving shot accuracy. Choi emphasized, "Nothing can be achieved without effort," and said, "As long as I live as Choi Kyung-ju, I will never stop practicing."

Choi Kyung-ju is impressive with his tanned skin and strong gaze. Saying "Age is just a number," he constantly challenges and researches. "Life is unpredictable until the very end," says Choi Kyung-ju. This is why his journey is even more intriguing.