KJ Choi became the first South Korean to win a Senior Major title as he claimed a two-stroke victory at the Senior Open in Carnoustie, Scotland.
The 54-year-old started slowly but caught fire to put daylight between himself and the chasing pack as he carded a closing 2-under-par 70 and a 10-under total, two clear of Australia’s Richard Green.
The eight-time PGA TOUR winner opened with a bogey and dropped further shots at the fifth and sixth as the leaderboard piled up, with more players in contention.
Playing partner Green and fellow chasers Paul Broadhurst and Stephen Ames were all a little too close but Choi, not for the first time this week, started a hot run and took a shot on either side of the bend to get back to one point for the day. .
He birdied the 11th and entered the three-hole hole that decided the outcome of the 2024 Senior Open.
The former world No.5 recorded back-to-back birdies on 12 and 13 before hitting a 30-footer for eagle on the par-5 14th to open up a four-run lead with just four to play.
Choi used the knowledge that earned him a share of eighth at The Open at Carnoustie in 2007 to safely cruise through the next three, before closing with a bogey to secure his first Major title.
Green extended his excellent run of form in majors with his third top-three finish of the season, while England’s Broadhurst finished two shots back in third on six under.
Canada’s Stephen Ames finished fourth in the three-under division, while the under-seven players finished tied for fifth in the two-under, including former Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjørn, Pádraig Harrington and Bernhard Langer.
For all the scores and the final leaderboard, click here.
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