South Korean golfer Ho Sung Choi (50), known for his “fisherman’s swing,” will try to earn a spot on the PGA of America’s Champions Tour.
Choi will compete in the first round of the Champions Tour Qualifying School at Soboba Springs Golf Club (Par 72) in San Jacinto, California, USA, starting on Monday (July 29).
The Champions Tour is open to players 50 years of age or older. Five players will qualify through the Qualifying School. A total of 73 players have been selected for the tournament.
Choi, who learned to play golf while working at Anyang CC after graduating from high school, qualified as a professional in 2001. He went on to play on two tours before making his Korean Tour debut in 2004.
In his 20 years on the professional circuit, Choi has won five professional titles, including the 2008 Hana Tour Championship and 2011 Lake Hills Open on the KPGA Korean Tour and the 2013 Indonesia PGA Championship, 2018 Casio World Open and 2019 Heiwa PGA Championship on the Japan Golf Tour (JGTO).
He rose to fame when his self-described “angler swing,” which he devised to compensate for his declining distance as he aged, became a fan favorite.
The nickname comes from the way he twists and turns as he swings, lifting the club high into the air to resemble a fisherman.
With three wins under his belt at the age of 40, Choi wasn’t going to stop there and threw down the gauntlet on this year’s Champions Tour.
Choi had a lot of help and support from his wife.
“There are many people around me who give me strength,” said Hwang Jin-ah, who caddied for her husband at the KPGA Korean Tour’s Genesis Championship in October. “‘If you are Ho-sung, you have an indomitable will,'” she said, “so my desire to challenge myself has not changed.
Choi will tee off on the 1st hole alongside John Balfanz (USA) and Bobby Kalinoski (GER) in the first round of the tournament. 캡틴토토 도메인
If he makes it through qualifying, he will play in the final qualifying round at TPC Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, on December 5 for the final five tickets.