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'Fisherman's swing' helps Choi's PGA debut

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Choi Ho-sung draws global attention with PGA debut

By Kim Jeong-kyoo

Choi Ho-sung
Choi Ho-sung
Choi Ho-sung, the owner of the world's quirkiest golf posture, better-known among Koreans as "fisherman's swing," will compete at Pebble Beach, one of the world's best-known golf venues.

He was invited to compete in the PGA Tour's AT&T?Pebble Beach National Pro-Am from Feb. 7 to 10.

Choi has received a sponsor exemption to play on the legendary golf course. A legion of his fans demanded he get a special invite to play there.

The tournament on the Pebble Beach Golf Links in California will mark?Choi's PGA tour debut.

"I never imagined this day would come," Choi said. "I took up golf at the age of 25, after a hard life. I'm well aware nothing could have been possible without the love and support of my fans. Undoubtedly, I will always do my best no matter where I go," Choi said in an interview.

Incidentally, there was a petition online to get him into the Waste Management Phoenix Open. It has gotten thousands of online signatures. But Choi did not receive an?exemption.

Choi is causing a stir in the golf world with his crazy swing. He is the frequent talk of golf throughout the world. Now, he is a celebrity at home and abroad for his unique golf swing. Many golf fans here in Korea and abroad regard his wacky swing with love.

His unusual swing helps to heal their own anxiety from their less than perfect golf swings.

Some believe Choi has an unorthodox golf swing. Others voice he has an electric golf swing. Indeed, he has an outrageous, crazy golf swing which makes golf addicts deliriously happy.

His swing features a fisherman follow-through and his weird angler finish position has elicited a surprisingly huge reaction. His interesting swing made an internet sensation in the past year. He looks like he hits the ball and then pulls the fishing rod upwards as he picks his right foot off the ground.

Golf fans around the world have viewed that video, one of many of his funny swing over 500,000 times in early December last year. His interesting golf swing has gone viral on various social media. On an Internet site, they dubbed Choi as the South Korean superman.

His on-course antics captivated golf freaks across the world last year, and suddenly his unorthodox swing became one of golf's iconic swings.

His funny, corkscrew swing deviates much from the conventional one. And for sure, his unusual swing has merits and demerits. Whatever the cause is, golf fans believe the 45-year-old Choi has a must-see swing.

"During the tournament I only focus on the ball so I don't know how I'm swinging. After I heard about the buzz, I checked after the tournament and saw that a lot of stuff was going around the internet. I looked up a video and even I thought that my swing was ridiculous and funny. I could not tell if I was an amateur or a pro. Being that my swing is so funny, I was grateful that the viewers took it positively," GOLF.com quoted Choi as having said.

Choi started to swing this way when he lost his flexibility and distance.

In a desperate effort to overcome his limitations, he opted for big moves, which evolved into the wacky swing. With his funky move, he turns hard through the shot, increasing his swing speed. He gains roughly 20 yards off the tee.

Choi currently ranks 200th in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time. He won two Japan Golf Tour titles including the 2018 Casio World Open in November. Also he has clinched two victories on the Korean Tour.

And no one casts doubt on the triumph of his intoxicating swing, which makes golf fans go wild with genuine pleasure.

Golf fiends can't wait to see Choi play at Pebble Beach, the No. 1 public course in America. Let's wait and see what will happen.




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