[PHOTO: Getty Images]
When the South Korean contingent shows up in strength at this week’s CJ Cup Byron Nelson – a legacy tournament where Sung Kang and K.H. Lee have tasted victories in recent years – they will look back with great pride the trailblazing exploits of one man who defied all odds to ensure the American dream isn’t quite the pipe dream.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of K.J. Choi’s historic achievement of becoming the first Korean to play full-time on the PGA Tour in 2000. He was driven by his life’s mantra that, “To be the best, you’ve got to play with the best,” and Choi proved he truly belonged.
Now 54 years of age, Choi enjoyed 498 starts in an illustrious PGA Tour career and amassed eight victories, seven runner-up finishes and 68 top-10s, earning $US32.8 million in prizemoney. His biggest victory was at the 2011 Players Championship where he became the first Asian to win the tour’s flagship tournament.
Choi’s decorated career inspired others, including Y.E. Yang and Charlie Wi during the 2000s, to follow in his footsteps, and Yang himself would write his own piece of history by becoming the first Asian male golfer to lift a major at the 2009 PGA Championship when he outduelled Tiger Woods at Hazeltine. Fourteen South Koreans have earned PGA Tour cards since Choi planted the Korean flag on PGA Tour ground.
It is no wonder Choi is regarded as the ‘Godfather of Korean golf’. His journey is inspiring to say the least, showcasing an unlikely tale of a rice farmer’s son who learned the game on Wando Island off the coast of South Korea. He picked up a club for the first time at age 15 after being picked to join a newly established golf team in school, despite already training earnestly as a powerlifter. He washed cars to earn pocket money for his golf practice, and was so hooked on the game he would leave home in the wee hours to cross to the mainland and play as much golf as possible – the most number of holes he played in a day was 70 – before returning late at night.
“When I heard I’m known as the Godfather of Korean golf, it felt refreshing. At the same time, I felt, Am I really that old already?” Choi laughed. “Back then, there were no Koreans, so I had doubts if I could make it onto the tour. It was a challenge.”
When he arrived for Qualifying School in 1999 after multiple wins on the Asian and Japan tours, Choi hardly spoke English but coped under a new environment and experiencing the Western culture. Finding Korean food was as hard as shooting an albatross, but he persevered with courage and determination that success ensued. He earned the nickname “The Tank” from TV pundits who marvelled at his single-minded pursuit towards golf excellence. By 2002, Choi broke through for the first of eight PGA Tour win at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
Si Woo Kim, a four-time tour winner, holds Choi in the highest regard. “K.J. took the first step, and it’s great to see new Korean players coming up to follow in his footsteps,” said Kim, 29.
“When he started on tour, they didn’t have Google Maps back then and he used physical maps to navigate his way around. I think that’s amazing because the environment was harder than what it is now. He was a pioneer in everything and I admire him. Now, Korean players have an easier environment. I think I learned a lot from K.J. on being confident. When I first came out, I was intimidated by foreign players, and I thought, How could I beat such big and strong players? I then said, ‘I should imitate K.J.’ He gave me the confidence to believe in myself.”
Byeong Hun An, among the six Koreans in this week’s field at TPC Craig Ranch, said Choi proved to generations after him that leaving the comforts of home to pursue a golf career at the very highest level was attainable.
“Travelling halfway around the world to compete on the PGA Tour is no easy task, but I do hope more Koreans will embrace the challenge,” said An, who has played full-time on tour since 2017. “In golf and life, breaking barriers is never easy. My generation grew up admiring K.J. as a trailblazer. It’s not easy going to a foreign country and achieving success but he became the first to do so. He instilled a lot of confidence in other players, including me.”
Sungjae Im, a two-time tour winner, feels the current crop of Korean stars, which also includes Tom Kim, must now play their part in extending Choi’s legacy. “We grew up watching him as kids. I think it gave a lot of opportunities to the younger players. I think we need to show the next generation a good example. If we work hard and perform well, I think more Korean players will be able to make it to the PGA Tour. K.J.’s success inspired future generations and opened countless of doors,” said Im, who at No.20 is the highest ranked Korean in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Choi’s advice to any aspiring golfer is simple – work harder than others. “There are a few things that people talk about when they think of K.J. Choi, such as K.J. keeps changing grips and always wearing visor caps,” he said. “Of all these words, the phrase I like best was, ‘K.J. Choi, he worked really hard.’ I like this because people acknowledge I have worked hard my entire life. I think that is my legacy.”
“Over the past 25 years, seeing so many younger players following in my footsteps, working hard and staying dedicated, it makes me proud. I see the younger players now, they speak English, take good care of their bodies and they train hard, and watching them play and succeed in events like the Presidents Cup is truly admirable and it gives me hope that the next generation will achieve even greater things. I’m just really grateful.”
