Citizen Staff Writer
Match Play profiles: Choi, Perry and Scott
MATCH PLAY COUNTDOWN
Another in a series of profiles for the Accenture World Match Play Championship Feb. 25-March 1 in Marana:
K.J. Choi (South Korea)
Ranking: No. 20 Born: Wando, S. Korea Age: 38 Ht/Wt: 5-8/185 Turned pro: 1994 Pro wins: 15 Match Play: 6-6
Notable: He’s the first Korean to earn a PGA Tour card by virtue of qualifying school.
Did you know? Before golf, he was a competitive power lifter nicknamed “Tank.” As a 95-pound, 13-year-old, he could squat-lift 350 pounds.
Kenny Perry (USA)
Ranking: No. 10 Born: Elizabethtown, Ky. Age: 48. Ht/Wt: 6-2/220 College: Western Kentucky Turned pro: 1982 Pro wins: 13 PGA wins: 12 Match Play: 3-5
Notable: He jumped into the top 10 with a win Feb. 1 at the FBR in Scottsdale. Last year, he helped the U.S. retake the Ryder Cup title for the first time since 1999.
Did you know? In 1985, Lipscomb University and a Kentucky businessman loaned Perry $5,000 for a last shot at qualifying for the PGA Tour. Perry came through.
Adam Scott (Australia)
Ranking: No. 17 Born: Adelaide, Australia Age: 28 Ht/Wt: 6-0/170 Turned pro: 2000 College: UNLV Pro wins: 14. PGA: 6 Match Play: 13-7
Notable: Scott concentrates mainly on the PGA Tour, where he won the Tour Championship in 2006. In 2008, he also qualified on the European Tour’s Order of Merit.
Did you know? He’s often compared to Greg Norman, whose former caddie joined up with Scott in 2004.
MATCH PLAY INFO
Where: Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain, Marana
Tickets: 571-0400 or (866) 942-2672; worldgolfchampionships.com