Choi Kyung-Ju (; born 19 May 1970), commonly known as K. J. Choi, is a South Korean professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions. Since turning pro in 1994, he has won more than thirty professional golf tournaments worldwide, including eight on the PGA Tour. His most notable victory came at the 2011 Players Championship, and he has spent 40 weeks in the top-10 of the world rankings.
Professional career In 1994, Choi turned professional after fulfilling his military obligation.
After establishing his career on the Korean Tour, where he picked up his first professional win in 1995, and the Japan Golf Tour, where he won twice in 1999, Choi qualified for membership of the U.S.-based PGA Tour by finishing tied 35th at the 1999 qualifying tournament. He was the first Korean to earn a PGA Tour card. In his rookie season in 2000 he finished 134th on the money list and had to requalify, but since 2001 he has been a consistent performer on the tour. In 2002 he became the first Korean to win on the PGA Tour at the Compaq Classic of New Orleans, and followed it up with another victory at the Tampa Bay Classic later that year.
In 2003 he won the Linde German Masters on the European Tour, his first and only win to date on the European Tour.
Choi won Jack Nicklaus's Memorial Tournament in 2007. He mentioned on CBS during the AT&T National that he read Jack Nicklaus's "Golf My Way" book early in his golf career, which assisted him in becoming the golfer he is today.
Choi won the first AT&T National hosted by Tiger Woods at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. The trophy is a small replica of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC. He made a spectacular sand trap shot on the 17th hole for a birdie to clinch the win over Steve Stricker by 3 shots. Choi was a crowd favorite and threw his golf ball into the crowd after holing his sand shot on the 17th hole.
In August 2007 he reached the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time. In January 2008, Choi won the Sony Open in Hawaii and rose to world number 7. In March 2008, Choi reached fifth place in the rankings.
After his 7th PGA Tour victory at the 2008 Sony Open in Hawaii, Choi donated $320,000 of his earnings to the victims' families of a warehouse fire in Seoul, South Korea, which killed over forty people.
Choi won his fourth title on the Asian Tour in Malaysia in 2009 at the Iskandar Johor Open, which was reduced to 3 rounds due to inclement weather.
In May 2011, Choi won The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in a playoff against David Toms. Choi had a one shot lead going down the 18th hole in regulation time, but Toms made birdie while Choi could only chip and putt for a par taking it to a sudden-death playoff. Both players found the green at the first extra hole, the 17th, and then missed with their attempted birdie efforts. Toms however also missed the return four footer for par leaving Choi with a three-foot par putt to seal victory. This to date is the South Korean's biggest PGA Tour victory. Following his win, Choi donated $200,000 to help victims of the tornadoes that ravaged the southeastern United States in April.
In February 2016, Choi finished runner-up at the Farmers Insurance Open to Brandt Snedeker, during a Monday finish to the weather disrupted event. This was notable because it was the first time in Choi's PGA Tour career that he did not convert a 54-hole lead or co-lead into a win. He was previously 5 for 5 in converted 54 holes leads to victories. The result moved Choi up 197 places in the world rankings from 334th to 137th. Choi continued his good early season from at the Northern Trust Open where he finished in a tie for fifth, despite holding the co-lead during the final round. This moved Choi to just outside the top 100 at 102nd in the rankings.
In May 2020, Choi turned 50 years of age and qualified for the PGA Tour Champions. In September 2021, Choi won his first tournament on that tour, the PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California.
In November 2022, Choi visited Vietnam to co-design with golf architect Paul Albanese the Rock Valley Course at Amber Hills Golf & Resort in Bắc Giang province near Hanoi.
At the 2024 Senior Open at Carnoustie Golf Links in Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland, in July 2024, Choi kept the lead he held after both the second and third round and won the tournament, becoming the first South Korean player to win a Senior Major Championship, men or women. After birdies on the 12th and 13th holes in the last round and an eagle on the 14th hole, Choi reached a four-shot-lead. He finally finished two shots ahead of runner-up Richard Green.
Personal life Choi was born in Wando, South Korea. Before picking up golf, he was a competitive power lifter, being able to squat as a 13-year-old, thus aptly nicknamed "Tank" by South Koreans. He currently resides in Southlake, Texas, near fellow South Korean PGA Tour player Yang Yong-eun.
He is a devout Christian and member of the Korean United Methodist Church. In December 2023, he was ordained as an elder at Onnuri Community Church. His wedding to his equally devout Christian wife was officiated by Rev. Ha Yong-jo of that church.
Choi played the role of professional golfer T.K. Oh in the Christian sports movie Seven Days in Utopia.
He has donated much of his money to charity through the K.J. Choi Foundation.
With golf becoming an official event at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Choi served as the coach for the South Korean men's golf team.
In his hometown of Wando, a public square named "Choi Kyung-ju Plaza" honors him.
Professional wins (33) PGA Tour wins (8) Legend Players Championships (1) Other PGA Tour (7) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up15 May 2002Compaq Classic of New Orleans68-65-71-67=271−174 strokes Dudley Hart, Geoff Ogilvy222 Sep 2002Tampa Bay Classic63-68-68-68=267−177 strokes Glen Day32 Oct 2005Chrysler Classic of Greensboro64-69-67-66=266−222 strokes Shigeki Maruyama429 Oct 2006Chrysler Championship (2)68-66-70-67=271−134 strokes Paul Goydos, Brett Wetterich53 Jun 2007Memorial Tournament69-70-67-65=271−171 stroke Ryan Moore68 Jul 2007AT&T National66-67-70-68=271−93 strokes Steve Stricker713 Jan 2008Sony Open in Hawaii64-65-66-71=266−143 strokes Rory Sabbatini815 May 2011The Players Championship70-68-67-70=275−13Playoff David Toms
PGA Tour playoff record (1–0) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult12011The Players Championship David TomsWon with par on first extra hole
European Tour wins (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner-up121 Sep 2003Linde German Masters63-68-64-67=262−262 strokes Miguel Ángel Jiménez
Japan Golf Tour wins (2) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner-up125 Apr 1999Kirin Open165-68-71=204−9Playoff Jeev Milkha Singh223 May 1999Ube Kosan Open69-65-66-72=272−163 strokes Kazuhiko Hosokawa 1Co-sanctioned by the Asia Golf Circuit
Japan Golf Tour playoff record (1–0) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult11999Kirin Open Jeev Milkha SinghWon with par on first extra hole
Asian Tour wins (6) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up119 Sep 1999Kolon Korea Open171-71-67-69=278−101 stroke Kyi Hla Han228 Jun 2003SK Telecom Open164-69-68=201−15Playoff Shin Yong-jin38 May 2005SK Telecom Open1 (2)67-71-68-69=275−135 strokes Andrew Buckle, Fred Couples425 Oct 2009Iskandar Johor Open68-64-64=196−204 strokes Chapchai Nirat523 Oct 2011CJ Invitational167-70-67-67=271−172 strokes Noh Seung-yul67 Oct 2012CJ Invitational1 (2)69-65-68-67=269−152 strokes Bae Sang-moon, Jang Dong-kyu 1Co-sanctioned by the Korean Tour
Asian Tour playoff record (1–0) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult12003SK Telecom Open Shin Yong-jinWon with birdie on second extra hole
Korean Tour wins (17) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up121 May 1995Phantom Open67-71-69-73=280−82 strokes Park Nam-sin215 Sep 1996Elord Korea Open69-73-69-68=279−91 stroke Kim Jong-duck325 May 1997Phantom Open (2)66-68-70-71=275−134 strokes Jung Do-man422 Jun 1997Astra Cup KPGA Championship70-66-66-69=271−175 strokes Park Nam-sin528 Jun 1997Daily Sports Pocari Open69-70-74=213−131 stroke Nam Young-woo619 Sep 1999Kolon Korea Open171-71-67-69=278−101 stroke Kyi Hla Han716 Oct 1999KPGA Cup72-66-65-71=274−142 strokes Park No-seok812 Nov 2000Superior Open71-65-71-71=278−102 strokes Kim Tae-hoon, Suk Jong-yul928 Jun 2003SK Telecom Open164-69-68=201−15Playoff Shin Yong-jin1010 Oct 2004SBS Dongyang Fire Cup71-68-73-69=281−71 stroke Lee Boo-young118 May 2005SK Telecom Open1 (2)67-71-68-69=275−133 strokes Andrew Buckle, Fred Couples1214 Oct 2007Shinhan Donghae Open70-69-70-66=275−131 stroke Suk Jong-yul1320 Apr 2008SK Telecom Open (3)71-64-71-66=272−164 strokes Kang Kyung-nam1427 May 2008Shinhan Donghae Open (2)70-69-70-66=275−133 strokes Hur Suk-ho1523 Oct 2011CJ Invitational167-70-67-67=271−172 strokes Noh Seung-yul167 Oct 2012CJ Invitational1 (2)69-65-68-67=269−152 strokes Bae Sang-moon, Jang Dong-kyu1719 May 2024SK Telecom Open (4)71-64-72-74=281−3Playoff Park Sang-hyun 1Co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour
Korean Tour playoff record (2–2) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11995Shinhan Donghae Open Choi Sang-ho, Mike TschetterChoi Sang-ho won with birdie on first extra hole22003SK Telecom Open Shin Yong-jinWon with birdie on second extra hole32005Shinhan Donghae Open Kim Jong-duckLost to birdie on first extra hole42024SK Telecom Open Park Sang-hyunWon with par on second extra hole
Other wins (2) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner-up123 Mar 1996Parmax Invitational72-70-71=213−36 strokes Lim Jin-han230 Nov 2008LG Skins GameUS$415,000$165,000 Stephen Ames
PGA Tour Champions wins (2) LegendSenior major championships (1) Other PGA Tour Champions (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up126 Sep 2021PURE Insurance Championship67-68-68=203−132 strokes Alex Čejka, Bernhard Langer228 Jul 2024The Senior Open Championship69-69-70-70=278−102 strokes Richard Green
PGA Tour Champions playoff record (0–1) No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult12021Sanford International Darren Clarke, Steve FleschClarke won with birdie on second extra holeFlesch eliminated by par on first hole
Results in major championships
Tournament19981999Masters TournamentU.S. OpenThe Open ChampionshipCUTT49PGA Championship Tournament2000200120022003200420052006200720082009Masters TournamentT153T33CUTT2741CUTU.S. OpenCUTT30CUTT31T15CUTCUTCUTT47The Open ChampionshipCUTT22T16T41CUTT8T16CUTPGA ChampionshipT29CUTT69T6T40T7T12CUTT24 Tournament 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016Masters TournamentT4T8CUTT46T34U.S. OpenT47CUTT15T32The Open ChampionshipCUTT44T39T44CUTPGA ChampionshipT39T39T54T47CUTT22
Tournament 2017–2024 2025Masters TournamentPGA ChampionshipU.S. OpenThe Open ChampionshipCUT
CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" = tied
Summary Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts madeMasters Tournament 0 0 1 2 3 4 12 9U.S. Open 0 0 0 0 0 2 13 7The Open Championship 0 0 0 0 1 4 16 9PGA Championship 0 0 0 0 2 5 15 12Totals 0 0 1 2 6 15 56 37 Most consecutive cuts made – 10 (2003 Open Championship – 2005 PGA) Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (six times)
The Players Championship Wins (1) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 2011 The Players Championship 1 shot deficit −13 (70-68-67-70=275) Playoff David Toms
Results timeline Tournament20022003200420052006200720082009The Players ChampionshipT28CUTT42CUTT16T23CUTT71 Tournament20102011201220132014201520162017The Players ChampionshipT341CUTT48T13T42T43CUT
CUT = missed the halfway cut "T" indicates a tie for a place.
Results in World Golf Championships Tournament200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013Match PlayR32R64R64R64R32QFR64R32R64R64ChampionshipT6T57T43T32T19T12T59T39T35InvitationalT19T53T58T51T22T11T16T45T46T59T8ChampionsT30T16
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play "T" = Tied