[서울신문] “The tank wasn’t rusted.” Choi Kyung-ju, 10 years postponed PGA Tour 9th win again

Ranked a tie for fourth in the Farmers Insurance 1R 6-under-par

‘Tank’ Choi Gyeong-ju (51), who is well over 50 years old, set the stepping stone for 9 wins in his career in the US Professional Golf (PGA) tour.

On the 29th (Korean time) on the 29th (Korean time), in the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open held at the Tory Pines Golf Club Book Course (par 72) in La Jolla, California, USA, he swung 6 under par 66 strokes.

Choi Gyeong-ju, who played a flawless play that thinned out six birdies without a look, was tied for fourth place, two shots behind the co-leaders Patrick Reed (USA) and Alex Noren (Sweden).

Choi Gyeong-ju, who debuted on the senior tour last year, but is also on the PGA tour, has shown a 180-degree change this year, although his performance has declined twice as many as the number of missed cuts last year.

In his new year’s opening game, the Sony Open, he hit at-bats in his 60s for three days, and on the first day of this contest, his second tournament, he missed the green only three times. He fell into the bunker twice, but he didn’t lose at-bats.

The green play was even better. In the 17th hole (par 5), he put the ball on the green after two times, stopped a 10-meter-long eagle putt right next to the hole, and finished it with a birdie.

▲ In Byeong-hoon raises his hand before Tisat at the teeing ground of the second round of the PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open held at the Lory Pines Golf Club in San Diego on the 29th, looking at the curve of the fairway. [AP 연합뉴스]

Choi Gyeong-ju, who had a deep relationship with the Farmers Insurance Open, having won runners-up twice in 2014 and 2016, but had more regrets, said, “High ballistic shots and fade shots are doing well. I played with the idea not to miss the fairway,” he said. “It is difficult to compete with young players who hit far, putt well, and have good short games, but I am happy to compete with young players.”

He is looking at the 9th win in the 10th year after harvesting his 8th win in the tour at the 2011 Players Championship.

Kim Si-woo (26), who was on the 25th to win a record of three wins in total, also set a foothold for winning for two consecutive weeks. He tied 3 birdies and 1 bogie to the 5th hole (par 5) eagle, and tied for 21st at the 4 under par. Kim Si-woo said, “I didn’t have a good putt, but I have a good shot feeling, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” he said. “After winning almost four years in the past week, I have a lot of confidence and I was able to play more comfortably today.”

Roh Seung-yeol (30) also reduced 4 strokes on the same book course to join Kim Si-woo’s 21st place group, and Lim Seong-jae (23) was tied for 32nd place in the 3-under par. Ahn Byung-hoon (30), who rounded in the South Course, had a rather difficult round with 72 even pars. The first and second rounds alternate between the North and South courses, and the third and fourth rounds are held only in the South course. The South course is longer than the North course, and the difficulty is higher.

Staff Reporter Choi Byung-kyu [email protected]