K.J Choi to host his own tournament in Korea
Winner of Players Championship, Choi Kyung-Ju aka K.J Choi is looking forward to host a tournament in his native country Korea by the name of K.J. Choi Invitational. The tournament, which will be organised by the joint collaboration
of Korean Golf Tour and the Asian Tour, will take place at the Sky72 Golf Club in Incheon from October 20-24, 2011.
The Korean announced the news in a press conference held at the clubhouse of Sky72 Golf Club in Incheon on Monday. He said that he wanted to host a tournament to spread awareness about golf in Asian countries.
Choi said while talking to media, “I've watched tournaments named after golf legends like Arnold Palmer, Byron Nelson and Jack Nicklaus with envy and admiration while I played on the PGA Tour for the past 12 years. I've dreamed
of hosting my own tournament where I could contribute to the development of Asian golf and share the joy of the experience.”
The veteran’s lifelong dream will be fulfilled by the end of the 2011 season in the joint venture of Korean Golf Tour and the Asian Tour. The two tours will organize the event until 2013 for a purse of US$750,000, which would be
sponsored by K.J. Choi Foundation and Asian Tour Media.
The 39-year-old Asian also shed light on the benefiters of the event. He said the purse would be distributed to the local charities supporting the amateurs in Korea. This would help in promoting the sport in the region so that
fresh blood can arise from that part of the world in the future.
The golfer added, “The aim is for the tournament to be prepared by the local community and run by volunteers. The proceeds will be used to help the needy as well as young golfers.”
This Invitational will be first of its kind in Korea, as a practice like this has not been carried in the past. Never before a tournament has been named after a golfer, but since Choi is a legend in the Asian golf, therefore he
deserves to follow the tradition, which has been adopted by several other legends such as Tiger Woods, Nancy Lopez, Lorena Ochoa, Arnold Palmer, Byron Nelson and Jack Nicklaus.
Tags: