KJ Choi gains two shot victory

Boosted by a flying start, South Korea's K.J. Choi won his first PGA Tour title in three years with a two-shot victory at the Greensboro Classic in North Carolina on Sunday.

The 35-year-old Korean, co-leader overnight with American D.J. Trahan, fired a six-under-par 66 to finish on 22-under 266 at the Forest Oaks Country Club.

Choi birdied the first four holes and then forged three strokes clear with a holed bunker shot at the par-three 12th before clinching his third PGA Tour career title, and first since the 2002 Tampa Bay Classic.

Japan's Shigeki Maruyama, the 2003 champion, shot a 67 to secure second place with Americans Charles Warren (65), Brandt Jobe (67) and Jason Bohn (70) a further three strokes back in a share of third.

Britain's Justin Rose was among a group of five players tied for sixth at 15-under 273 after returning a 71.

Disappointed at missing out on last week's Presidents Cup team competition after being the highest ranked Internationals player not to qualify directly, Choi took out his frustration at Forest Oaks with an impressive run of four rounds in the 60s.

The South Korean saved some of his best golf for the final day, hitting every fairway on his way to a mix of eight birdies and two bogeys.

He launched his round in spectacular style with birdies at the first four holes before running up his third bogey of the week at the par-five fifth.

However, he quickly recovered with further birdies on six and nine to reach the turn in five-under 31.

Although he briefly faltered with another dropped shot at the par-four 10th, he birdied 12 and 13 before easing to victory with five rock-solid pars to close.

"Instead of worrying about anything else, I was just focusing on my game. Not whether I started out with birdies or picked them up late," Choi said.

Maruyama produced an error-free display that included five birdies but, after starting the day one stroke behind Choi, never got close enough to the Korean to apply pressure.

"I could hear K.J. making birdies at the beginning and I couldn't make the putts on the first few holes," Maruyama said.

"I had good birdies on the fourth and fifth. I played very good golf on the last day but K.J. just played very well.

"I think he's the strongest Asian player in the world. I respect him also.

"It was good pressure to put me under after the four holes. I just thought 'I have to make birdies, that's all'."

World number six Sergio Garcia of Spain, the highest ranked player in the tournament, had been among the contenders going into the final day but fell off the pace with a 71 for a four-way share of 13th at 13-under 275.

266 KJ Choi (Kor) 64 69 67 66

268 Shigeki Maruyama (Jpn) 70 65 66 67

271 Brandt Jobe 72 65 67 67, Jason Bohn 71 65 65 70, Charles Warren 62 74 70 65

273 Tim Clark (Rsa) 66 69 70 68, J.L. Lewis 72 68 67 66, Tim Herron 70 66 67 70, Justin Rose (Eng) 69 65 68 71, Jerry Kelly 70 68 67 68

274 Kent Jones 70 71 67 66, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 69 67 69 69

275 D.J. Trahan 65 69 66 75, Wes Short jr. 68 70 69 68, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 69 69 66 71, Scott Gutschewski 67 74 66 68

276 John Huston 66 66 74 70, Olin Browne 68 72 65 71, Darron Stiles 69 69 68 70, Dudley Hart 70 67 70 69

277 Chris Smith 72 65 72 68, Lucas Glover 70 71 70 66, Brian Bateman 70 71 67 69, D.A. Points 72 66 70 69, Duffy Waldorf 69 71 67 70, Cameron Beckman 70 69 70 68, J J Henry 66 72 72 67

278 Robert Gamez 72 69 63 74, John Rollins 67 68 71 72, Tim Petrovic 70 69 70 69, Jonathan Byrd 67 73 70 68, Hank Kuehne 71 67 71 69, Steve Elkington (Aus) 70 70 69 69

279 Ryan Moore 72 69 70 68, Marco Dawson 72 68 68 71, Brian Gay 69 66 73 71, Paul Azinger 69 71 66 73, Daniel Chopra (Swe) 67 69 71 72, Neal Lancaster 71 70 67 71, Charles Howell III 69 71 68 71

280 Gavin Coles (Aus) 68 70 73 69, Steve Allan (Aus) 72 68 68 72, Steve Lowery 74 67 68 71, Jeff Maggert 69 71 70 70

281 Shaun Micheel 75 66 69 71, James Driscoll 67 71 72 71, Tom Byrum 71 67 72 71, Tag Ridings 71 68 75 67

Chad Campbell 69 72 69 71, Mark Wilson 72 67 66 76

282 Jonathan Kaye 70 68 70 74, Phillip Price (Wal) 69 71 71 71, Justin Bolli 69 72 69 72, Charlie Wi (Kor) 70 71 70 71, Robert Damron 74 67 74 67

283 Heath Slocum 71 69 72 71, Hunter Haas 70 68 73 72, Thomas Levet (Fra) 74 67 72 70, Joe Durant 67 71 70 75

Tommy Armour III 71 70 72 70

284 Michael Long (Nzl) 70 71 74 69, Matt Gogel 67 74 69 74, Hidemichi Tanaka (Jpn) 66 74 72 72

285 Tjaart Van der Walt (Rsa) 73 68 70 74, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 68 73 72 72, Tom Lehman 69 70 72 74, Adam Scott (Aus) 73 68 70 74

286 Jay Delsing 71 68 73 74, Patrick Sheehan 71 68 76 71, Billy Mayfair 69 71 70 76, Tom Pernice Jnr. 72 69 71 74, Peter Lonard (Aus) 71 70 72 73

287 Hunter Mahan 75 66 72 74

288 Billy Andrade 69 72 73 74, Corey Pavin 72 69 75 72

290 Tom Gillis 70 68 73 79, Ben Curtis 69 69 79 73

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