K.J. Choi Ties for 5th Place... 'Best Performance of the Year'

Senior Tour Hog Classic FR 3 Under Par
Trophy Hassan II Best Since Tied 13th
Harrington 7th Win, Yang Yong-eun 11th, Wi Chang-su 15th

‘Tank’ Choi Kyung-ju entered the ‘Top 5’.

Choi Kyung-ju is teeing off at the 5th hole of the final 3rd round of the Hog Classic Newport Beach. [Newport Beach (USA) = AFP·Yonhap News]

On the 24th (local time), at the final 3rd round of the PGA Tour Champions Hog Classic Newport Beach (total prize money $2 million) held at Newport Beach Country Club (Par 71) in Newport Beach, California, USA, Choi Kyung-ju shot a 3-under-par 68 and finished tied for 5th place (10-under-par 203). This is his first time entering the ‘Top 10’ on the Champions Tour, which is for players aged 50 and above.

Before this tournament, Choi Kyung-ju had participated in the four major tournaments and finished within the top 20 in all of them, but he had never broken into the top 10. His best result was a tie for 13th place at the Trophy Hassan II tournament last month. Choi reduced his score by 4 strokes through 13 holes, closing in on leader Padraig Harrington (Ireland), but a bogey on the 17th hole (par 3) took him out of the race for the championship.

Harrington shot 2-under-par to win by one stroke (14-under-par 199). After exchanging two birdies and two bogeys over 16 holes without much progress in lowering his score, he secured the victory with consecutive birdies on the 17th and 18th holes. This was his first win of the year and his 7th career win on the senior tour, with a winner’s prize of $300,000 (approximately 400 million KRW). Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand) performed well, finishing in 2nd place (13-under-par 200). Yang Yong-eun finished tied for 11th (6-under-par 207), and Wi Chang-su ended the tournament tied for 15th (5-under-par 208).