K.J. Choi Continues His Pursuit of the Oldest Winner Record

SK Telecom Open Kicks Off at Pinx GC in Jeju
Choi Kyungju Can Break His Own Oldest Champion Record with Back-to-Back Wins
At 54, K.J. Choi Says, "Just Defending the Title Is Meaningful"

'Legend of Korean golf' K.J. Choi will attempt to become the oldest player to win back-to-back titles on the Korea Professional Golf (KPGA) Tour.

K.J. Choi challenges a consecutive win at the SK Telecom Open. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

From May 15, the SK Telecom Open (total prize money: 1.3 billion won) will be held over four days at Pinx Golf Club (par 71, 7,326 yards) in Seogwipo, Jeju. At 54 years old, K.J. Choi won last year's tournament after a second playoff hole against Park Sanghyun, who is 13 years younger, claiming the title. This victory marked his first KPGA Tour win in 11 years and 7 months since the CJ Invitational in October 2012. He set a new record as the oldest winner in KPGA Tour history. It was also his fourth victory at this event, following wins in 2003, 2005, and 2008.

The highlight was the first playoff hole. K.J. Choi appeared to be in a dire situation when his second shot seemed to land in the water. However, the ball barely survived on a small patch of grass in the middle of the creek, and Choi managed to save par, keeping his hopes for victory alive. Choi's 'island shot' was selected as the best moment of the KPGA Tour last year.

Born on May 19, 1970, K.J. Choi lifted the winner's trophy on his 54th birthday last year. This year, the final round will be held on May 18, the day before his birthday. Up to last year, Choi had played in the SK Telecom Open 23 times and made the cut 21 times. He holds the records for most appearances and most cuts made in the tournament. Additionally, he holds the record for most birdies (319) in the event.

In the first round, K.J. Choi will play alongside Park Sanghyun and last week's KPGA Classic champion Bae Yongjun. He stated, "Just having the chance to defend my title at the SK Telecom Open is meaningful," adding, "Rather than focusing on winning, I want to show my best to the fans who support me."

The SK Telecom Open will be played as a 72-hole, four-round stroke play event. A total of 144 players will compete, and after the second round, the top 60 players (including ties) will advance to the third round. The winner will receive a four-year KPGA Tour exemption and 1,200 Genesis points.

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