Choi wins THE PLAYERS
K.J. Choi defeated David Toms with a par-3 on No. 17, the first hole of a sudden death playoff, to win THE PLAYERS. The victory is the eighth of Choi’s PGA TOUR career and first since the 2008 Sony Open in Hawaii, a span of 74 events on the PGA TOUR since his last win. Choi becomes the first Korean, first Asian-born player and seventh international winner of THE PLAYERS in the last 10 years and the 12th overall in the 38-year history of the event. Of the 19 winners on the PGA TOUR in 2011, Choi is the seventh player born outside of the United States
The playoff between K.J. Choi and David Toms was just the fourth in the 38-year history of THE PLAYERS and first since Sergio Garcia defeated Paul Goydos with a par on No. 17 (first playoff hole) in 2008. Sandy Lyle defeated Jeff Sluman with a par on No. 18 (third playoff hole) in 1988 and Raymond Floyd defeated Barry Jaeckel and Curtis Strange with a par on the first playoff hole (Sawgrass CC) in 1981. THE PLAYERS marks the fourth consecutive event on the PGA TOUR to be decided in a playoff and the eighth through the first 21 events on TOUR in 2011. As a comparison there were seven playoffs during the entire 2010 PGA TOUR season.
David Toms made a 17 foot, 2 inch birdie putt on No. 18 to force a playoff with K.J. Choi. Toms’ birdie at No. 18 was just the fourth on the finishing hole, which played as the most difficult hole for the week, during the final round. With the playoff defeat, Toms falls to 1-3 in playoffs on the PGA TOUR. He picks up his third top 10 of the 2011 season in his 10th start to go along with a T5 at the Mayakoba Golf Classic and a T3 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He improves from No. 56 to No. 22 in the FedExCup points standings.
With rounds of 68 and 69 to open THE PLAYERS 2011, Davis Love III equaled Nick Price’s tournament record with 22 career rounds in the 60s at TPC Sawgrass. Love finished T12 in his 26th (87 total rounds) appearance at THE PLAYERS, an event he won in 1992 and 2003.
Sergio Garcia, who won THE PLAYERS in 2008, equaled the best birdie-eagle streak at TPC Sawgrass when he went birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie in the final round on holes 14-17 en route to shooting a career-best 65 to finish T12. He carded a 66 on three different occasions, most recently the opening round in 2008.
FedExCup points leader Bubba Watson carded a 68 in the final round to finish T45 at 2-under par. He maintains a 29-point lead over Luke Donald in the FedExCup points race.
