2005 SK Telecom Open - Round 1: Choi thrills home fans to share the lead

Making the most of a superb spring day in Seoul, Choi Kyung-ju rolled to a first round of five-under-par 67 in the last group of the day to join Koji Katoh and Terry Pilkadaris in a share of the lead after day one of the SK Telecom Open.

Although Katoh and Pilkadaris posted their scores in the morning session, it was never enough to steal the limelight from the local hero. Choi, a two-time US PGA Tour winner, looked in complete control as he joined the leaders with a birdie at his 14th hole, the fifth.

The 2003 SK Telecom Open champion (pictured right) stumbled to a bogey at the next, but bounced back with a stunning birdie at his final hole to finish alongside Katoh and Pilkadaris. A group of seven Korean players are bunched one shot off the lead, alongside Australian Andrew Buckle, at Il Dong Lakes Golf Club, on the north-eastern outskirts of the national capital.

Among the group another shot back at three-under and in a tie for 12th are India’s Shiv Kapur, while defending SK Telecom Open champion Simon Yates and Fred Couples (pictured below right), the 1992 US Masters champion, lie in 19th with Thaworn Wiratchant after they returned 70s.

For Choi, the highest-placed Asian on the Official World Golf Ranking at 32nd, it was just the kind of start he was seeking after recent efforts to improve his play.

“I was having some problems with my swing a couple of months ago and had no power in my shots. My best friend, who has always been my coach, told me I was getting too quick and today the corrections worked. I was able to play strong shots and was very powerful,” he said.

The crowning glory, though, came with a superb shot at his last hole, rifling a wedge from a terrible lie to within 10 feet of the flagstick for a closing birdie and a share of the lead.

“I hit a great drive and had 112 yards for my second shot, but my ball was lying in an old divot. It was filled with a little bit of sand, but my ball was sitting down in it. So, I punched a low shot out and was very lucky.”

Pilkadaris (pictured left), a two-time winner on Tour in 2004, continued the golden run of form that he has enjoyed for more than six months. He rallied strongly after birdies at the second and fourth holes were quickly offset in an indifferent opening.

“I played very nicely, especially after my start. I three-putted the first and the third trying to get used to the speed of the greens. I hit my first putt about seven feet past the hole and did the same on the third. After that, though, it was all rock solid.”

However, even with the brace of bogeys, according to the Australian his seven-birdie round was always in ‘cruise control’ mode. “Even with the three-putts, I said to Monique (his wife and caddie) that I was feeling good. Once I got used to the greens, I was fine.”

Meanwhile, Katoh reeled off three consecutive birdies to get his day under way as he posted one of his best rounds of 2005. The Japanese, in his second year on the Asian Tour, consolidated his fast start with further birdies at 10, 12 and 15.

It was only a bogey at 16 that stopped him from taking the outright lead, although he was pleased with his efforts as he aims to move up from 82nd on the Order of Merit.

“I am very happy and I played really well. This year I have played only three other tournaments on the Asian Tour, but I have been playing well. I am not surprised to have played so strongly. I drove the ball and hit my irons well, so it was very good.

“Tomorrow, I will be aiming for the same score, as I think two 67s will put me in a very good position,” he added.

For Kapur, in his rookie season on the Asian Tour, it was also a rewarding day. Said the two-time All-American at Purdue University: “The course played so different to the practice round on Tuesday. I thought the greens were soft when we played and not too fast, but when I got on the first green they were rolling at 12 or 13 on the Stimpmeter.

“I was a bit lost early in my round and hit a couple of putts that went 15 or 20 feet by the hole. It was a bit of a rough start, but after that I strung a few birdies together at eight, nine and 10 and that got my round going,” he said.

“I’ll take 69 on the first day, but I left a couple of shots, maybe more, out there just because of the way that I putted.”

Defending SK Telecom Open champion Simon Yates, battling a painful back injury that had him on the verge of withdrawing just minutes before his tee time, returned a gutsy opening-round 70 after playing in obvious distress. That was just two shots behind an ominous pack of Korean players, with Park Jae-Kyung, Lee Boo-Young (pictured right), Park No-Seok, Kang Kyung-Nam, Kang Kwon-Il, Kong John-Joon and Choi Sang-Ho all in the mix for victory.

The US$500,000 SK Telecom Open is the 11th event on the Asian Tour in 2005, with the winner’s share of the prize money set to be 100,000,000 won or approximately US$100,000.

Leading first-round scores
67 - Koji Katoh (JPN), Terry Pilkadaris (AUS), Choi Kyung-Ju (KOR)
68 - Park Jae-Kyung (KOR), Lee Boo-Young (KOR), Park No-Seok (KOR), Kang Kyung-Nam (KOR), Andrew Buckle (AUS), Kang Kwon-Il (KOR), Kong John-Joon (KOR), Choi Sang-Ho (KOR)
69 - Gary Simpson (AUS), Craig Warren (AUS), Shiv Kapur (IND), Yoo Jong-Koo (KOR), Choi Yoon-Soo (KOR), Kim Dae-Sub (KOR), Han Young-Keun (KOR)
70 - Richard Lee (NZL), Amandeep Johl (IND), Park Boo-Won (KOR), Hwang Joon-Sun (KOR), Mo Joong-Kyung (KOR), Thaworn Wiratchant (THA), Sushi Ishigaki (JPN), Rick Gibson (CAN), Simon Yates (SCO), Fred Couples (USA)

May 5, 2005

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