Times wires
Sunday, May 15, 2011
PONTE VEDRA BEACH — K.J. Choi was the last man standing at The Players Championship on Sunday, winning on the first hole of sudden death with a short par putt after David Toms — who had made a 17-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole to tie — missed a short par putt of his own.
It was a fitting end to a grueling day at TPC Sawgrass that featured nearly 12 hours of golf.
The day started at 7:45 a.m. with Choi at the ninth hole and Toms at the fifth for the completion of the rain-delayed third round. It ended at 7:30 p.m. on the famed island green of No. 17 with two short putts — one a heartbreaking miss of 31/2 feet by Toms and the other a resolute stroke from 3 feet, 8 inches by Choi.
"The 17th is very nervous, and the wind is blowing and the green is very quick," said the South Korean veteran, 40, fighting back tears after kissing the crystal trophy emblematic of the eighth and biggest win of his PGA Tour career and his first since the 2008 Sony Open in Hawaii. "I watched this tournament in Korea, and right now it's my dream to have my hands on this trophy."
Choi earned $1.71 million and moved to No. 15 in the world.
In the final round, Choi and Toms shot 2-under 70 to finish at 13-under 275.
"For me to shoot under par every day on this course this week, it's like a miracle, to be honest with you," Choi said.
As for Toms' three-putt bogey on the playoff hole? "No excuses, no spike marks, no ball marks, no nothing," he said. "Maybe a lot of pressure. But other than that, there was no excuse."
After Choi tapped in his putt for the win and pumped his fist, he thought of Toms.
"As a fellow player, I felt very sorry for him," Choi said. "Because I know how that feels. And I felt bad for him."
Paul Goydos (69) finished alone in third, and Luke Donald (71) tied for fourth and moved to No. 2 in the world.
Reigning U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell, who completed the third round with 68 for a one-stroke lead over Choi and Toms, finished with 7-over 79.
"It was disappointing out there," said McDowell, who tied for 33rd at 5-under 283. "Probably my first time under the gun in a little while."
Lucas Glover, who won last week at Quail Hollow, lost 11 strokes in four holes — double bogey at No. 16 and triple bogey at No. 18 in the rain-delayed third round then quadruple bogey at No. 4 and double bogey at No. 18 in the final round.
"I'm not going to put much stock into (Sunday), believe me," said Glover, who tied for 50th at 1 under.
Meanwhile, tour commissioner Tim Finchem insisted he never pressured Tiger Woods to play through his injuries.
"I don't twist players' arms, and as far as Tiger being hurt, guys, that's a decision he has to make, and I had no information that he wasn't ready to play golf," Finchem said. "I don't think anybody did. I don't think he did."
Woods withdrew after nine holes Thursday because of knee and Achilles' tendon problems that had sidelined him since the Masters.