Sport

Choi claims fourth title as Clarke retains his card

South Korean KJ Choi took the fourth US title of his career when he won the Chrysler Championship on Sunday, while there was …

Tue Oct 31 2006 - 00:00

South Korean KJ Choi took the fourth US title of his career when he won the Chrysler Championship on Sunday, while there was good news for Ireland's Darren Clarke.

Choi carded a four-under-par 67 to finish four strokes clear of Brett Wetterich (66) and Paul Goydos (70), while Ernie Els (72) faded to tie for sixth after starting the day just one shot behind.

Choi finished at 13-under 271 in delightful conditions at Innisbrook, one more than Japan's Shigeki Maruyama.

Northern Irishman Clarke finished the season at 125th on the money list, the cut-off point at which players keep their full playing privileges on the US Tour.

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The only players who could have overtaken Clarke on the last day were Goydos, who finished as runner-up to move to 97th on the money list, and Duffy Waldorf, who was 131st. He needed at least a 67 but shot 72.

England's Justin Rose finished with a two-under 282.

Choi's second Chrysler title comes with a huge bonus, the $954,000 winner's cheque propelling the 36-year-old into the PGA Tour's top 30 money winners and earning him an invitation to East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta next week and a chance at another big payday at the $6.5-million finale.

Americans Wetterich and Goydos finished four shots back in a tie for second at nine-under 275 in the last full-field event of the season.

Wetterich's five-under 66 solidified his place in the top 20 while Goydos moved from 160th into the top 125, securing his playing privileges for next season. World number seven Els still had a smile on his face walking off the 18th green, his one-over 72 enough to earn him a share of sixth place at seven-under 277 and a place in the Tour Championship.

"You go through a process like this you appreciate getting to the Tour Championship," said Els.

Choi, the 2002 Chrysler winner by seven strokes, started by draining a 20-foot putt for an eagle at the par-five first at the Palm Harbor Copperhead course.

The South Korean then had a stutter with a bogey-birdie-bogey stretch from the third but played error-free golf the rest of the way, adding birdies at the seventh and 10th and another at the 18th to seal victory.