Choi Kyung-joo Invitational commences on Thursday

Golfers participating in the KPGA Choi Kyung-joo Invitational must outplay Choi Kyung-joo, the event’s host. Choi is the only player who won twice in the event whose title takes after his own name.

Taking place in Ferrum Club in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province from Thursday to Sunday, the Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Choi Kyung-joo Invitational will pay out a total of 1.25 billion won in prize money. The winner will collect 250 million won, and the second prize winner will earn 125 million won. The event started in 2011, and Choi claimed wins in 2011 and 2012 for two consecutive years. He is the only player who has won twice in the event, as well as the player who has had the most wins in the event so far.

Ham Jeong-woo will chase his second victory in this year’s event. The defending champion claimed a second-place finish at the Body Friend Phantom Rovo Gunsan CC Open and has ranked in the top 10 four times this year, but he has never had a win so far. Ham is determined to get his first victory this season, including the second consecutive win in the Choi Kyung-joo Invitational. “My goal is to claim a victory in the event,” said Ham. “I have trained and prepared myself to play in this event in the best possible conditions. I have a good memory of the course, so I am confident.” Ham tied for fourth place in the Woori Bank Championship last May. A total of six past winners, including Ham Jeong-woo, Choi Kyung-joo, Park Sang-hyun, Joo Heung-cheol, Hwang In-choon, and Park Seong-gook, will participate in the event.

Moon Do-yeop, the winner of the DGB Financial Group Open, which closed on Sept. 25, is chasing a victory for the second consecutive week. Seo Yo-seop and Kim Bi-o, competing to declare their third win in the season, are also determined to claim their third win in the season ahead of their competitors by winning in the game.


hun@donga.com