Choi Wins Memorial by One Stroke
By Dave Seaman, Columbus Wired

As a teenager in South Korea, K.J. Choi read books by Memorial Tournament founder Jack Nicklaus.

On Sunday, Choi shot a seven-under, 65 to win the 2007 Memorial at Muirfield Village Golf Course. He ended the tournament with a 17-under, 271.

Choi started the final round in seventh place, five strokes behind the leaders. His comeback is the largest on the PGA Tour this season.

“It’s my fifth time winning on the Tour, so I felt comfortable, no pressure really,” Choi said through his interpreter Michael Yim. “Just the fact that it’s Jack’s tournament just made me feel really comfortable.”

Choi had birdies on six of the first nine holes. He added two more on the back nine. His only hiccup was a bogey on the 13th hole.

On 18, he hit his second shot into the left bunker, but recovered with a chip shot to five-feet and putted it in for par and the $1.08 million winners check.

“This week the chip and putt was very well and I was like 60, 70 yards and six yards to drop and chip and one-putt,” Choi said. “It’s a good feel and a good turning point.”

With the win, Choi moves into eighth on the FedEx Cup points list (9,089). He has played in eight Memorials and ironically played in his first tournament with Nicklaus. The two were also pared together in Nicklaus’ last tournament in 2005.

Ryan Moore, who was tied with Choi going into the final round, bogeyed the first hole, which proved to be the difference between the two players. Moore finished one stroke back.

“To even be in the position I was in on 18, I was very surprised,” Moore said. “It was a nice little stretch. I’ll take five birdies in a row on the back side on Sunday every week and won’t complain about it.”

Kenny Perry, a two-time Memorial winner, shot a final round best nine-under to finish in a two-way tie for third place with Rod Pampling. Perry’s final-round 63 is the lowest final round score in the history of the Memorial. The previous mark was 64, set by four others including Greg Norman and Fred Couples.

Four others—Fredrik Jacobson, Stewart Cink, Sean O’Hair and Adam Scott—finished at 14-under for the tournament.

“I was so far behind all day trying to play catch-up,” Perry said “I had the gas pedal down all day. I knew I just had to try to make birdie every hole and when that eagle (on No. 6) went in, I thought, ‘well, that’s nice.’ I played well on the back, but couldn’t quite get the putts in.”

Tiger Woods made a move on the last day with an eagle on No. 7 and four birdies. His only bogey came on No. 4 and he had a chance at a birdie on the 18th green but short putted. He ended the round five-under, 67 and nine-under for the tournament.

“I didn’t really hit too many bad putts today,” Woods said. “I had a little streak there at seven, eight, nine which was nice. I felt I hit the ball better today, which is even better.”

Woods is going to play at Oakmont on Monday in preparation for the U.S. Open in two weeks. He said he’d only play the course once between now and then because, “that’s all I need.”

After recording his best round at Muirfield, Ostrander native Ben Curtis shot a two-over 74 Sunday to finish three-under for the tournament.

“I just didn’t putt good and didn’t hit it very well,” Curtis said. “Nothing went well today. It was one of those days where I didn’t get it going. A couple of swings cost me.”