How a former college superstar used a breakthrough week on Sungjae Im’s bag to kickstart his own pro career

Choi was a three-time All-American at North Carolina State. He’s now playing on the Korn Ferry Tour.

LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. — Albin Choi turned last year’s LECOM Suncoast Classic into a major stepping stone in his return to playing professional golf.

The 29-year-old from Toronto shot a 66 in the Monday qualifier one year ago to earn a berth in the field of 144. He responded by firing a first-round, 9-under 62 to tie the tournament’s 18-hole record before eventually finishing in a tie for 14th place.

“It was a good week for me,” said Choi, who is back at Lakewood National Golf Club this week for another crack at the title. “It just means a little more to me now.”

Choi is back on solid ground this time around following a tumultuous decade in his life.

Choi starred at North Carolina State, where he won nine collegiate titles and was a three-time All-American before turning pro in 2013. He was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year in the spring of 2013.

It was during his college career in 2011 that his mother Ericka took her own life.

“As far as the journey goes, it’s not something I saw coming or anyone else saw coming,” Choi said.

Choi soldiered on with his golf career, playing in 110 Korn Ferry tournaments with six top 10 finishes before the bottom fell out following the 2019 season. He lost his Korn Ferry playing status and suddenly found himself in some serious debt.

But Choi began the climb back by working as a caddie at the posh Old Palm Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens. He was caddying as many as 36 holes per day, while he continued to work on his game.

Then Choi caught a break in 2020 when PGA Tour player Sungjae Im asked him to carry his bag for the Honda Classic. Im went on to win his first PGA title and Choi received 10% of Im’s $1.26 million paycheck, along with the base caddie rate and a healthy tip.

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The two had become friends in 2018 while playing together on the Korn Ferry Tour. Choi, who speaks fluent English and Korean, also served as Im’s translator, as well as caddie, for a period of five months.

His time as Im’s caddy enabled him to get back on his financial feet and allowed him the opportunity to resume his own playing career. It also offered him a unique view of the game at its highest level.

“From a learning perspective, it was one of the best experiences I could have had,” Choi said. “I had a front-row seat to see how the players prepare and how they go about their business, on and off the golf course. I am always trying to learn. I got to experience that.

“I knew a lot of the guys out there. I watched how hard they worked. It motivated me to work a little bit harder. Seeing the level of play out there was good for me to see.”

For now, Choi is simply glad to be back on the course, playing the game he cares so much about.

“I’m just happy to be here with everything that has been going on the last few years,” he said. “I have been given another chance to play and compete, so I can’t ask for anything more.

“I love playing. It’s something that I have always done. As long as my body allows me to play, I am just going to keep playing as long as I can.”

LECOM Suncoast Classic

WHAT: Regular stop on the Korn Ferry Tour, the path to the PGA Tour.
WHO: 144 golfers competing for 72 holes of stroke play.
WHEN: Today-Sunday.
WHERE: Lakewood National Golf Club (Commander course, par-71, 7,112 yards).
PURSE: $750,000 (top prize is $135,000).
TICKETS: $20 at the gate for adults, children under-17, active duty military, veterans and first responders are admitted free of charge with a valid ID.
PARKING: Free.

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In first PGA Tour caddie gig, Albin Choi guides Sungjae Im to Honda Classic title

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Before this week, Jupiter’s Albin Choi had never served as a caddie on the PGA Tour. No problem. The 27-year-old guided South Korea’s Sungjae Im to victory Sunday in the Honda Classic at PGA National. A regular on the Korn …

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PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Before this week, Jupiter’s Albin Choi had never served as a caddie on the PGA Tour. No problem. The 27-year-old guided South Korea’s Sungjae Im to victory Sunday in the Honda Classic at PGA National.

A regular on the Korn Ferry Tour for the last four years, Choi is figuring out what he wants to do next after a disappointing 2019. For the last four months, he’s been working at Old Palm Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens.

So when Im called him after the Genesis Invitational to ask if he could be on his bag for the Honda, Choi accepted.

“I know he’s had some language barriers with other caddies in the past,” Choi said of Im. “I just felt like we communicate better and being a player myself and having played the golf course a lot of times, he wanted someone on the bag with a little bit of experience.”

Honda Classic: Photos | Updates | Leaderboard | Money

Although Choi was born in Surrey, British Columbia and grew up in Toronto, he speaks Korean and served as Im’s translator Sunday.

Around the time Choi moved to Jupiter, Florida, three years ago, he got to know Im. At the time, Im was also playing on the Korn Ferry Tour, with the two meeting at the final stage of qualifying in Arizona.

“As the year progressed, we kind of became closer and closer and when he moved on to the PGA Tour, we kind of just kept in touch,” said Choi, who won the 2010 Canadian Men’s Amateur championship.

Choi has appeared in five Tour events, all at the RBC Canadian Open and attended the 2018 Honda Classic as a spectator. He also has played PGA National numerous times; it was actually where Choi earned his Korn Ferry Tour playing card.

“I know how hard it is to kind of navigate your way through this golf course, just with the pressure of the tournament on the line, and just playing here a bunch,” Choi said. “I just felt like the experience kind of helped me out today and just from a player standpoint, I kind of knew what he was feeling at certain times.

“I felt like I could draw upon my experiences to help him out today and kind of keep his head in the right place.”

Im wasn’t the only familiar face Choi saw on the course Sunday. Im’s playing partner was Mackenzie Hughes, the 2011 and 2012 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion.

Choi was a groomsman in Hughes’ wedding and the two roomed together when playing on the Korn Ferry Tour. So Choi was rooting for both players down the stretch Sunday, even when Hughes made a birdie on 17th to temporarily tie Im for the lead at 5 under.

“After he made that putt on 17, I gave him a fist pump,” Choi said. “Him and I are super close.”

Im then made a birdie of his own at 17th to take the lead for good. Still, Hughes finished second Sunday, his best finish on the Tour since March 31, 2019.

“It was nice to see him play well this week,” Choi said.

With Choi sporting a perfect record as a caddie on the Tour, will this relationship continue going forward?

It’s too early to say, though Choi expressed interest.

“I told him as long as (it’s during) this time that I’m not playing, I would love to,” Choi said. “I know he’s been bouncing around doing a few (caddies), so we’ll see. It’s kind of up in the air.”

Choi certainly will cherish Sunday’s experience. While he was the caddie, he learned plenty from watching Im play.

“When you’re watching from the outside, you see a lot more,” Choi said. “When I come here as a player, it’s a little different. I definitely noticed more things from the outside, of how guys compose themselves and certain things here and there, just in general.

“I just thought that was a good learning experience for me, too. Getting a front-row seat to what it takes to win a PGA Tour event. It’s not something you come across every day.”

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