Appleby falls from tree-top
OVERNIGHT leader Stuart Appleby crashed to a final-round 76 as South Korea’s K.J. Choi fired a two-under-par 68 to win the inaugural PGA National by three strokes from American Steve Stricker today (AEST).
The 37-year-old Asianstar won the first PGA tournament hosted by world No.1 Tiger Woods, barely a month after capturing Jack Nicklaus’ signature event, the Memorial.
It was Choi’s sixth PGA title and makes this his first season since 2002 with multiple US tour victories. “I just tried to make myself as comfortable as I could … and just give it my best shot and approach it like a professional,” said Choi, who collected more than $1 million for the victory.
“I think all of those factored in to my win. This tournament is just too big for me to really absorb right now. But it’s a very big win and definitely the biggest win of my career.”
Choi chipped in from a greenside bunker for a birdie at the 17th and parred the 18th to finish on nine-under-par 271, with Stricker second (274) and Appleby joining Americans Jim Furyk and Pat Perez ina tie for third (277).”I wasn’t trying to put it in the hole,” said Choi. “All I was trying to do was save par. But … I put the ball exactly where I wanted to.
“And I guess the speed was right, the undulation, everything was right and it just went in. It was something that I didn’t even expect. It surprised me.”
Host Woods shared sixth with Aussie Robert Allenby on 278.
Choi won the $US1.08 million ($1.26 million) top prize in the $US6 million ($7 million) event at Congressional Country Club, where more than 37,000 atched in high heat and humidity both yesterday and today.
Agence France-Presse