.jpg) Choi Kyoung-ju of Korea watches his shot from the 16th tee during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship in Bethesda, Md., Wednesday. / AP-Yonhap |
The Washington Post picked Korean golfer Choi Kyoung-ju as one of five dark horses for the 2011 U.S. Open at the Congressional Country Club.
Choi was named as one to keep an eye out for along with 2007 U.S. Open winner Angel Cabrera, Charl Schwartzel, Hunter Mahan and Jason Day.
The 40-year-old, nicknamed “tank,” recently had the biggest victory in his PGA career, lifting The Players Championship trophy, called the fifth major, beating David Toms in a playoff.
The paper said the former power lifter could be a savvy choice to claim the trophy.
Among the 156-man field, only two have won at Congressional and Choi is one of them, along with Anthony Kim.In 2007 Choi won there over Steve Stricker in the AT&T National.
“The course definitely plays different than when I won in 2007,” Choi told the Washington Post. “The tee shot ... when you’re standing on the tee box, the holes played different. You have to attack differently. They’ve pulled it back 20, 30 yards on some of the holes, so you actually have to draw your shots, where in 2007, I could fade them.
“I think the key point is whether you’re able to hit your second shots and stop it on the green, stick it to the green, stick it to the pin within four or five yards,” Choi said. “Once you’re able to do that, I think you have a better advantage.”
The Washington Post had a U.S Open special edition and Luke Donald, Phil Mickelson, Nick Watney, Martin Kaymer and Lee Westwood were named as “5 who can win.”
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