K.J Choi won his maiden senior Major title with a two-shot victory over Australian Richard Green at Carnoustie.
The South Korean took a one-shot lead into the final round after being pegged back thanks to a pair of double bogeys late in his third round.
Choi shot a final round of 70 after an unsteady start that included three bogeys on his opening five holes. However, any thoughts he might struggle to get over the line were put firmly to bed with a confident performance over the closing holes.
Choi made his first birdie of the day on the ninth, and that had become two after 10 holes, with further birdies following on the 12th and 13th.
However, while at that point, closest challengers Richard Green and Paul Broadhurst were still well in touch of the leader, Choi turned the screw emphatically with an eagle on the par 5 14th to take a four-shot lead.
As the round went on, Broadhurst’s arthritis was beginning to take its toll as he walked with a visible limp, and a bogey at the 17th all but ended his challenge. Meanwhile, try as he might, Green couldn’t close the gap as he and the leader headed to the 18th.
For a moment, it looked as though there may be some late drama, as Choi’s tee shot on the final hole came within inches of the water. He got lucky, though, and, even though he had to settle for bogey at the last after Green had clawed a shot back with a birdie, he still won by two.
After being presented with the trophy, Choi admitted nerves had got the better of him over the opening holes before he finally settled in to the task at hand. He said: “It's unbelievable, today's game. All this week I pray. Either way starting very nervous and some speed and difference and three bogeys after six. Still keep attention and pray. A little more, I feel better working, there's more fire and the swing is more comfortable.”
Choi wins prize money of $447,800 for his effort, while for Green, he at least has the consolation of a runner-up payday of $298,680.
THE SENIOR OPEN LEADERBOARD
-10 K.J. Choi
-8 Richard Green
-6 Paul Broadhurst
Updates from...
KJ OPENS UP SIZEABLE LEAD
Is it too early to say Choi has one hand on the trophy? Possibly, but he's just birdied the 13th the move three ahead of Richard Green in second. Can the Australian claw it back?
WILL PAUL BROADHURST REGRET AIR SHOT?
Englishman Paul Broadhurst had a costly miss in the first round with an air shot for a tap-in. That gave him a double-bogey. He's currently two behind Choi with four to play. Will he live to regret that lapse in concentration?
EAGLE FOR CHOI!
Just when it looked like Paul Broadhurst might catch leader Choi after he reduced the gap to two, the South Korean has come up with the goods emphatically with an eagle on the par 5 14th. That gives him a four-shot lead and significant breathing space over the closing holes.
HUGE EAGLE FOR K.J. CHOI! He leads by four with four to play at the Senior Open 💪 pic.twitter.com/roMF1VYe6yJuly 28, 2024
NOT QUITE FOR HARRINGTON
Padraig Harrington had been hopeful of victory after a 73 in the third round left him six behind, but it's not gone to plan for the Irishman, not helped by a shocking start of triple bogey, double bogey. He's currently three-under, eight off the leader with just two to play.
A miracle 73 today in the Senior Open to be 2 under, 6 back. Played very poorly but hung in there and birdied 3 of my last 5. I need a big improvement tomorrow, a repeat of my final round in 2007, at least for 17 holes anyway. @ChampionsTour pic.twitter.com/QbG1DjVEQGJuly 27, 2024
LANGER FINISHES ON TWO-UNDER
Four-time Senior Open winner Bernhard Langer has finished his tournament with a confident putt to finish two-under. He'll likely be happy with that, particularly after an injury on his achilles that saw him miss The Masters.
GETTING CLOSER FOR CHOI
The leader had a long putt for birdie on the 15th, and though he didn't hold it, he made no mistake with his second putt for par to keep him four shots clear of Paul Broadhurst and Richard Green with just three to play. It would take something extraordinary for him to lose his grip in the title from here, surely?
BOGEY FOR GREEN
While Choi maintains his four-shot lead, for Richard Green, his chance of victory just became even slimmer with a ogey on the 15th that sees him move five off the leader. All eyes on Paul Broadhurst now to see if he can somehow narrow Choi's lead on the closing holes.
GREAT EFFORT FROM BROADHURST
Before the tournament, Bernhard Langer questioned whether all the players could walk Carnoustie, and the difficulties for Paul Broadhurst were clear after his par at the 15th kept his hopes alive. The 58-year-old hobbled off the green afterwards, so it's safe to say that wherever he finishes on the leaderboard, it won't have been without considerable discomfort along the way.
CONFIDENT K.J.
Surely Choi has this in the bag. He's just made par on the 16th leaving him four ahead of Paul Broadhurst with just two to play. A maiden senior Major title is within his grasp.
A BIG PAYDAY FOR THE WINNER
This year, players are competing for a prize money payout of $2.85m at Carnoustie, an increase of $100,000 on the 2023 event. The winner will take home $447,800 while the runner-up will have the consolation of a $298,680 paday.
NOT LONG TO GO
Here's the state of play with two holes to play. KJ Choi is leading at 11-under, with Australian Richard Green four behind with just two holes to play. Paul Broadhurst bogeyed the 17th to leave him five behind and surely out of the running.
Meanwhile, Angel Cabrera has just finished his round with a 73 to leave him two-under for the tournament, while that's the score three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington has finished on too.
ALMOST HOME FOR CHOI
It's as you were at the top of the leaderboard with one to play after both Richard Green and leader K.J. Choi made par on the 17th. Choi's lead remains four over Green, and he's one competent hole away from the title.
CHOI GETS LUCKY
After a confident tee shot from Richard Green on the 18th, Choi followed and came within inches of the water. Had it rolled in, that would have put an entirely different complexion on events, but in the end, he should still be fine - particularly with a big lead of four over the Australian.
ALL DONE FOR BROADHURST
After an eventful tournament that included a bizarre air shot in the first round, 2016 champion Paul Broadhurst has finished on six-under in third. Meanwhile, K.J Choi remains the hot favorite, holding a four-shot lead over Richard Green with each having played on shot on the 18th.
CONGRATULATIONS, K.J. CHOI!
After a heart-in-mouth moment for K.J Choi, when his tee shot on the 18th came close to the water, he steadied his nerves to claime his first senior Major title despite Richard Green finishing with a birdie.
Choi could even afford to bogey the 18th and still finish on 10-under for the tournament as he closed out a two-shot win over Green. Paul Broadhurst finishes third.
Warm Words From Broadhurst
Paul Broadhurst had been hoping for his second Senior Open title after winning in 2016. In the end, he finished four behind winner K.J. Choi, and the Englishman had warm words for him after his round.
He said: "I had a bit of a run at it on 12 and hit it six feet by and made it coming back. Obviously K.J. has played really well around the back. I don't know what happened but he went from nowhere to four clear. He's obviously killed it somewhere around the mid part of the round. So great stuff to him. He's played really well. I know he had a couple of poor holes to finish yesterday having been well ahead but he deserves it."
First Major Win For Choi
That's the first Major win for Choi, seniors or otherwise, and he did it in some style, including an eagle on the back nine as he opened up a four-shot lead. That had reduced by two at the end, with Richard Green in pursuit, but for the last hour or so, he never really looked like giving up the title.