K.J. Choi's 'Overtime Victory'... 'Made History on 54th Birthday'

SK Telecom Open: Park Sang-hyun Wins in Second Extra Round
17th KPGA Tour Victory After 1 Year 7 Months
Becomes Oldest Domestic Winner Surpassing Choi Sang-ho

Choi Kyung-ju, born on May 19, 1970, made headlines on his birthday.

Choi Kyung-ju is cheering immediately after winning in a playoff at the SK Telecom Open.
[Photo by KPGA]

On the 19th, at the Pinx Golf Club (par 71, 7,326 yards) in Seogwipo City, Jeju Island, during the 4th round of the Korean Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Tour SK Telecom Open (total prize money 1.3 billion KRW), Choi lost 3 strokes and was tied with Park Sang-hyun (3-under 281), but secured a 'winning par' on the second hole of the resumed playoff at the 18th hole (par 4). This marked his 17th KPGA Tour victory, his first in 11 years and 7 months since the October 2012 Choi Kyung-ju CJ Invitational, with a winner's prize of 260 million KRW.

He extended the record for most wins in this tournament to 4. Including 13 overseas tour wins, this is his 30th career victory. At 54 years old this year, he also broke the record for the oldest winner set by Choi Sang-ho at the 2005 KT&G Maekyung Open (50 years, 4 months, 25 days). He is the first player in his 50s to win on the KPGA Tour in 19 years.

Choi started with a 5-stroke lead but made 2 birdies and 5 bogeys. Especially, he made a bogey on the final 18th hole, which led to the playoff. On the first playoff hole, his second shot landed short of the green in a penalty area. The ball, which seemed to have fallen into the water, was actually on the rough within the water hazard, and he managed to get it onto the green with his third shot, saving par. On the second playoff hole, after Park Sang-hyun missed his par putt, Choi sank a 1-meter par putt to secure the victory.

Park Sang-hyun fought hard, lowering his score by 4 strokes but settled for second place. Jang Jong-min, Lee Tae-hoon, Kim Baek-joon, and Lee Seung-taek tied for third place (1-under 283). Lee Tae-hee, Heo In-hoe, Kwon Sung-yeol, and Kim Woo-hyun tied for seventh place (even par 284). Jang Dong-gyu, who played in the champion group with Choi Kyung-ju, struggled with 2-over par and dropped to a tie for 11th place (1-over par 285).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.