SEOUL, May 12, 2010: Local hero K.J. Choi will bid for a record fourth title when the fourth leg of OneAsia’s 2010 schedule kicks off next week at the SK Telecom Open in Seoul.
The resurgent Korean star, who triumphed in 2003, 2005 and 2008, will start as firm favourite for another crown at Sky 72 Golf Club from May 20-23.
He will be joined in a strong field by big-hitting countryman Kim Dae-hyun, the impressive winner of last week’s GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship, defending champion Park Sang-hyun and in-form Australian Scott Arnold.
Choi soared back into the top-50 of the world rankings by following up a second place finish in the Malaysian Open with a high-profile appearance at the US Masters where he was paired with Tiger Woods in all four rounds and finished alongside the world number one in fourth spot.
The former powerlifter, who goes by the nickname of “The Tank”, enjoys iconic status in his homeland thanks to his seven wins on the PGA Tour, the most by an Asian.
Choi, currently ranked 36th in the world, won the last of his three SK Telecom Open titles at Sky 72 Golf Club and is relishing a return to a happy hunting ground.
“I look forward to playing next week at the 2010 SK Telecom Open. It’s always a great feeling to go back to my home country,” he said.
“I am happy about my performance this year. I feel like I can be in the hunt for a win on any given week. My confidence is high in all aspects of my game.
“Although my performances during the last few weeks have been just short of what I feel like I could have done, I look forward to putting on a good show next week.”
Choi added that he expected strong challenges from the emerging band of talented Koreans including Kim Dae-hyun and Kim Kyung-tae who finished one-two in last week’s GS Caltex Maekyung Open on OneAsia.
“Everyone (in the line-up) is a strong contender. The playing level overall for players in Asia has improved so whoever has their A-game that week will win,” he commented.
“They (the young Koreans) are the future of Asian golf. With hard work and consistency in their routine and playing bigger overseas tournaments, their future is bright.”
Kim Dae-hyun goes into the SK Telecom Open as the player in form after storming to a four-shot victory in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship at Namseoul International Country Club.
The 22-year-old Kim announced himself as a star of the future and awed the tournament-record gallery of 20,000 with a masterclass in long, straight driving and inspired putting.
“My next event is the SK Telecom Open in Seoul next week, so I hope I can play as well there,” he commented.
Park took the title at Sky 72 Golf Club last year by a stroke from Kim Do-hoon (753) with Bae Sang-moon a further two shots adrift in third spot.
“My victory in last year’s SK Telecom Open was very special as it was my first pro win. I’m excited about it about it being on OneAsia this year, as it will be a bigger tournament,” said Park, who tied for 18th place at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open
“For me, there’s no added pressure to defend my title, although it’s the first time for me. I do know that as defending champion, I’ll be playing with better players this time, so I should learn a lot from them.”
Arnold, the world’s number one amateur last year, is keen to build on a good display over the mountainous Namseoul layout that saw him finish in a tie for third with Korean duo Han Min-kyu and Kang Kyung-nam.
"I came back to Australia for five days just to work on my swing," said Arnold, who snuck a peak at the Sky 72 course near Incheon. "I reckon I played well last week and the course looks a lot more open than Namseoul so hopefully, I will finish even better next week."
Launched in 1997, the SK Telecom Open boasts a notable list of past winners including Choi, Park, Thailand’s Prom Meesawat (2006) and Simon Yates from Scotland (2004).
The tournament also hit the headlines in 2006 when American Michelle Wie made the cut to become only the second female to play all four rounds in a men’s professional event in Korea. Pak Se-ri from Korea was the first in 2003.
OneAsia will stage 11 tournaments in 2010, ultimately seeking to provide players in Asia with an alternative pathway to the PGA Tour and the European Tour.
The SK Telecom Open will be broadcast domestically on SBS on all four days, as well as internationally across OneAsia's comprehensive TV Platform.
About OneAsia
OneAsia is a non-profit organisation developed to maximize elite tournament opportunities in Asia-Pacific. The Founding members of OneAsia are the China Golf Association, the Korea Golf Tour, the Korea Golf Association and the PGA of Australia. The mission of OneAsia is not just to allow the region's best players to gain access to more events, but to ultimately provide them with an alternative pathway to the PGA Tour and the European Tour, thus retaining the best golfing talent in the region without compromising their development.
For more information, please contact:
Janice Lee Fang
PR & Media Manager - OneAsia
DID: +65 6236 0362
Mobile: +65 8268 8155
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