K.J. Choi

K.J. Choi

(CHOY)

Height: 5'8" (1.73 m)
Weight: 185 (84 kg)
Age: 53 (May 19, 1970)
Birthplace: Wando, South Korea
Residence: Westlake, Texas
Family: Wife, Hyunjung Kim; Hohjun "David", Amanda, Daniel

Special Interests: Movies
Turned Professional: 1994
City plays from: Dallas, TX, United States


Exempt Status


PGA TOURPast champion

Career Victories


PGA TOUR Victories (8):
2002 (2) Compaq Classic of New Orleans, Tampa Bay Classic presented by Buick. 2005 (1) Chrysler Classic of Greensboro. 2006 (1) Chrysler Championship. 2007 (2) the Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley, AT&T National. 2008 (1) Sony Open in Hawaii. 2011 (1) THE PLAYERS Championship.
PGA TOUR Champions Victories (1):
2020 (1) PURE Insurance Championship.
International Victories (10):
1999 Ube Kosan Open [Jpn]. 1999 Kirin Open [Jpn]. 2003 S.K. Telecom Open [Asia]. 2005 S.K. Telecom Open [Asia]. 2009 Iskandar Johor Open [Asia]. 2011 CJ Invitational [Asia]. 2012 CJ Invitational [Asia]. 2003 Linde German Masters [Eur].

Player Statistics


Career Low Round:

62 - 2003 Valero Texas Open (Round 2)

Career High FedExCup Rank:

#1 : 2008 FBR Open

Career High Official World Golf Rank:

#5 : 2008 PODS Championship

Career Largest Paycheck:

$1,710,000 : 2011 THE PLAYERS Championship (Finished 1)

2022-23 Season Highlights


PGA TOUR Champions
Hoag Classic - Carded scores of 69-65-69 at the Hoag Classic en route to a T7 finish. Kaulig Companies Championship - Finished T3 at the Kaulig Companies Championship after rounds of 70-66-69-68. It was his sixth top-3 finish on PGA TOUR Champions in his first 53 starts. Made a hole-in-one in the second round on No. 5 with a 5-iron from 208 yards. Boeing Classic - Closed with 65 to finish T3 at the Boeing Classic, his second top-3 in a three-start span. Opened with rounds of 69-72 to post 10-under. Shaw Charity Classic - Fired rounds of 69-65-66 at the Shaw Charity Classic presented by Rogers to claim T7 honors. Sanford International - Finished runner-up at the Sanford International for the second time in three years. Posted scores of 62-68-65 to shoot 15-under. Was his third top-3 finish of the 2023 season.

National Team Selections


Presidents Cup : 2003, 2007, 2011 World Cup : 1997, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2013

Career Records


PGA TOUR (Playoff Record: 1 - 0)
Season Events Rounds 1st 2nd 3rd Top 10 Top 25 Cuts Made Cuts Missed WD FedExCup Rank Earnings
Total: 498 1587 8 7 5 68 149 337 159 3 $32,803,596
2023 3 6 3
2022 3 4 3
2021 21 52 6 15 213 $122,319
2020 9 25 1 3 6 207 $180,439
2019 7 18 1 1 3 4 210 $185,952
2018 14 38 1 1 6 8 188 $219,405
2017 25 66 3 11 14 177 $292,716
2016 22 73 1 2 5 14 8 91 $1,328,448
2015 19 62 2 14 5 152 $448,864
2014 23 80 2 2 6 17 6 69 $1,677,848
2013 24 84 2 6 20 4 73 $973,751
2012 21 70 2 6 16 5 98 $969,057
2011 22 75 1 1 2 8 10 18 4 11 $4,434,691
2010 22 82 1 1 4 9 19 3 15 $2,199,962
2009 22 64 1 1 6 13 9 101 $968,506
2008 21 70 1 5 12 16 5 10 $2,683,442
2007 25 85 2 1 7 17 21 3 2 5 $4,587,859
2006 26 92 1 4 10 22 4 $2,376,548
2005 24 73 1 3 7 18 5 1 $1,765,374
2004 24 82 1 7 10 19 5 $2,077,775
2003 32 106 1 6 13 25 7 $1,999,663
2002 27 89 2 7 11 19 8 $2,204,907
2001 29 92 5 8 19 10 $800,326
2000 30 89 1 4 16 14 $305,745
1999 2 8 1 2 $31,457
1998 1 2 1
(A) - Amateur

Top Tournaments


PGA TOUR
THE PLAYERS Championship Masters Tournament PGA Championship U.S. Open The Open Championship WGC-HSBC Champions WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play WGC-FedEx St. Jude Inv WGC-Workday Championship at The Concession
2017 CUT
2016 T43 T22
2015 T42
2014 T13 T34 CUT CUT
2013 T48 T46 T47 T32 T44 T33
2012 CUT CUT T54 T15 T39 T33 T8 T35
2011 1 (P) T8 T39 CUT T44 T16 T17 T59 T39
2010 T34 T4 T39 T47 CUT T30 T46
2009 T71 CUT T24 T47 CUT T33 T45 T59
2008 CUT 41 CUT CUT T16 T5 T16 T12
2007 T23 T27 T12 CUT T8 T17 T11 T19
2006 T16 CUT T7 CUT CUT T33 T22 T32
2005 CUT T33 T40 T15 T41 T33 T51 T43
2004 T42 3 T6 T31 T16 T33 T58 T57
2003 CUT T15 T69 CUT T22 T17 T53 T6
2002 T28 CUT T30 CUT T19
2001 T29 CUT
1999 T49
1998 CUT
FedExCup Playoffs
FedEx St. Jude Championship Dell Technologies Championship BMW Championship TOUR Championship
2016 CUT CUT
2014 T71 T35 T63
2013 T68 T41
2012 T73 CUT
2011 T32 CUT T10 T3
2010 CUT T45 T3 T7
2009 CUT
2008 T12 T21 T5 9
2007 2 W/D T38 T21

Personal


  • Interest in golf grew after one of his high school teachers recommended he try the sport. Began studying Jack Nicklaus lesson books and videos and spent long hours hitting practice balls on his island home's only practice range. First Korean to earn a PGA TOUR card.
  • Grew up the son of a farmer/fisherman and as a teenage powerlifter earned the nickname "Tank" because he could squat 350 pounds although he weighed a mere 95 pounds. He didn't have the upper-body strength to pursue that sport, so he turned to golf, at age 16.
  • After his 2005 victory at the Wyndham Championship, donated $90,000 to the Korean Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, N.C., that he has attended each year he played the tournament.
  • Following his win at the 2011 PLAYERS Championship, donated $200,000 to help victims of the tornadoes that ravaged the southeastern United States in April of that year.
  • Through the K.J. Choi Foundation (kjchoifoundation.org), donated his $100,000 winnings from the 2013 ISPS Handa World Cup to help with the Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts in the Philippines. The funds, sent to the American Red Cross in conjunction with the Philippines' chapter of the Red Cross, were used to provide relief supplies to the areas worst hit by the typhoon.