It’s Never Too Early for Choi

It was 4 a.m. in South Korea when K.J. Choi began the final round of the Compaq Classic at New Orleans. The hour didn’t stop his fans from watching on television.

“People will miss work to watch,” said Hie-Man Hwang, a South Korean journalist who flew in for Sunday’s round. “He can make history, it’s a very big thing in Korea.”

Choi did not disappoint the fans back home, becoming the first South Korean winner in PGA Tour history, closing with a five-under-par 67 for a four-stroke victory.

“I believe it will influence a generation of Korean golfers to come to the U.S. and try out for the PGA,” Choi said through an interpreter. “In that sense, the win is very special.”

Choi earned the $810,000 winner’s check with a 17-under 271 total, holding off a number of challengers in ideal scoring conditions at on the English Turn course.

Geoff Ogilvy and Dudley Hart came the closest, each finishing with a 68 to tie for second at 13-under 275. John Cook (66), Chris DiMarco (68), Mike Sposa (68) and Dan Forsman (70) were 13 under.

“The greens kept getting harder and faster and browner and slippery, as I like to say,” Hart said. “It was very slick and, actually, hard to read sometimes.”

Choi, who took the lead in the second round, was tied but never trailed after that. He took it slow and steady in the 91-degree heat as the field surged toward him.

“This win is very special to me because when I first came to the U.S. I had a 10-year plan laid out,” Choi said. “It’s earlier than I though it would happen, but it’s part of the plan.”

Choi had two birdies on the front nine for a one-stroke lead at the turn, and made a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 11 to go to 15 under--two shots ahead of three players. He increased his lead with a birdie on No. 13. His second shot on the 16th rolled to the lip of the cup and sat there, a breath away from an eagle and a five-shot lead.

Choi described that as the turning point in the round. He said he knew it was a good shot, but did not think it was an eagle.

“If it had gone in the crowd would have gone wild,” the interpreter said. “He didn’t think the crowd went wild enough.”

Choi chipped in for his final birdie on No. 17--a 35-footer from out of the rough. By the time he bogeyed No. 18, he had nothing to worry about.

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Juli Inkster overcame an extended layoff to win the rain-plagued Chick-fil-A Charity Championship at Stockbridge, Ga., shooting a six-under 66 for a two-stroke victory.

Inkster returned to the course for the first time since Friday afternoon, having waited through two days of incessant rain that forced the tournament to be reduced from 54 to 36 holes.

The LPGA Hall of Famer overcame a two-shot deficit at the start of the round to earn the 27th victory of her career with a 12-under 132 total.

“I’ve been out here forever,” the 41-year-old Inkster said. “I should know how to handle it.”

The muddy course was bathed in bright sunshine at the end, and Inkster finished in style with an eagle at No. 18. She hit her second shot to within six feet of the hole, then pumped her fist and waved her visor when the putt dropped in.

Kelly Robbins, who led by two strokes after the first round, struggled much of the day but finished birdie-birdie-eagle to take second with a 70 for the round and 134 overall.

Defending tournament champion Annika Sorenstam shot a 69 in the first round but couldn’t cope with the water-logged course at Eagles Landing Country Club. She soared to a 75--only the second time in 20 rounds this year that she’s been over par.

Sammy Rachels was busy worrying about his playing partners in the Bruno’s Memorial Classic at Hoover, Ala. Dana Quigley just sneaked up on him.

Rachels made a 10-foot birdie putt on the second hole of a playoff with Quigley, earning $210,000 for his first victory of the season and third on the Senior PGA Tour.

“I didn’t even know about Dana until I was on the 17th hole. I looked over there and said, ‘Where’d he come from?’” Rachels said.

Rachels closed with a five-under 67 to match Quigley at 15-under 201, outdistancing more high-profile playing partners Hale Irwin and Larry Nelson.

Rachels made the winning putt on the 17th hole after Quigley missed an 18-footer and tapped in for par. Both players birdied the 18th hole to begin the playoff.

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Cliff Kresge made a 45-foot eagle chip on the second hole of a playoff with Arron Oberholser to win the Buy.com Tour’s Virginia Beach Open at Virginia Beach, Va.

“When it got close to the hole, I instinctively put my arms in the air thinking it might go in,” Kresge said. “Even if it wouldn’t have gone in, I had executed the shot the way I wanted and it was going to be pretty close for birdie.”

Kresge, who earned $76,500 for his first Buy.com Tour title, closed with a one-under 71 to match Oberholser (70) at 11-under 277.