Choi favorite to win South Korea's inaugural Ballentine's Championship
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- PGA TOUR regular K.J. Choi will aim to lift his country's first home European Tour title when South Korea's inaugural Ballentine's Championship tees off Thursday.
Choi, ranked No. 5 in the world, will face some stiff competition from British Open champion Padriag Harrington of Ireland, who is looking to kick start his 2008 campaign after returning from a neck injury and a bout of shingles.
Two-time major winner Sandy Lyle joins the field as both a player and ambassador for the $2.9 million tournament played at the Pinx Golf Club on the southern island of Jeju.
A late addition is American star Chris DiMarco, a three-time runner-up in majors, while Scotland's Colin Montgomerie has pulled out of the event following an invitation from Arnold Palmer to play at Bay Hill.
Choi is joined by fellow Koreans S.K. Ho, Yang Yong-eun, who beat Tiger Woods at last year's HSBC Champions, and Korean-American Anthony Kim.
"I'm not familiar with all the local Korean players, but obviously K.J. (Choi) and Anthony (Kim), and a few others are very strong," Harrington said. "This is the first time the European Tour has been here, so the Korean players are going to be up for it this week no question."
Choi, who won his seventh PGA TOUR title at the Sony Open in Honolulu in January is one of the best known sportsmen in South Korea.
"I feel awkward being called a hero," Choi said. "As someone who cares passionately about Korean golf I'm delighted that The European Tour is coming to my country for the first time.
"It will be an emotional experience for me to be teeing off in front of the Korean fans and they can rest assured I'll be doing my very best to produce a home win," he added.
Rising star Kim is enjoying the playing conditions in his parents' homeland.
"Hopefully I'll be able to make some birdies, and make the Korean people proud of me," Kim said.
"I played 18 holes yesterday and nine holes today. It's a good golf course, and it's in great shape," he said. "The greens are probably two to three feet faster in America, and there's more rough on the PGA TOUR."
The tournament is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
| Player | Events | Points |
| Tiger Woods | 5 | 17,745 |
| Phil Mickelson | 11 | 10,846 |
| Stewart Cink | 11 | 9,449 |
| Player | Today | Thru | Total |
| Garcia, Sergio | -1 | F | -5 |
| Goydos, Paul | 2 | F | -5 |
| Quinney, Jeff | -2 | F | -4 |
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