TaylorMade’s
Forged Irons ( 5)
Hewitt: Players
Missed Mark ( 6)
Tiger Woods
Withdraws ( 8)
JO Y
The Players Choice
The exchange rate for the Korean Won is
about 1,000 to 1 for the U.S. dollar. In days
now long gone, K.J. Choi would have given
several million Won to trade places with Y.E.
Yang to become the first Korean to win a
major championship.
Today, Choi wouldn’t take those same
millions of Won for the crystal trophy that
is handed over to the winner of The Players Championship, having become a Korean
billionaire. And notice, if you will, that the
Korean currency is spelled the same way as
the past tense of the American word, “win,”
which Choi accomplished in a playoff at perhaps the most nerve-jangling hole in golf.
We all know that The Players is not a
major and it was less of a non-major with
the conspicuous absence of world No. 1 Lee
Westwood, who turned his nose up at The
Players for goodness knows why, except that
as a non-PGA Tour member, he couldn’t get
in the field at the Wells Fargo Championship
two weeks ago.
Also turning up missing was No. 6 Rory
McIlroy, who a little more petulantly dissed
The Players by saying he doesn’t like the
course. Tiger Woods doesn’t like it, either,
but still shows up, albeit briefly last week,
limping off the grounds after a front-nine 42
on Thursday.
In Europe, Darren Clarke broke a long
winless streak by winning the Iberdrola
Open in Spain, saying afterward that it was
an honor to win in Seve Ballesteros’ home
country the same week that Ballesteros was
memorialized in his hometown of Pedrena.
And, after Sunday, Choi wouldn’t trade
places with anyone in golf – for any amount
of money.
Mike Purkey
K.J. Choi
E-MAIL MIKE
