On Im’s bag, Choi 1-for-1 in PGA Tour caddie gigs
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Before this past week, Albin Choi had never served as a caddie on the PGA Tour. No problem. The 27-year-old guided Sungjae Im to victory 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 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. “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.”
Although Choi was born in Surrey, British Columbia, and grew up in Toronto, he speaks Korean and served as Im’s interpreter Sunday.
Around the time Choi moved to Jupiter, Florida, three years ago, he got to know Im. 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.
Choi has appeared in five PGA Tour events, all at the RBC Canadian Open, and attended the 2018 Honda Classic as a spectator. He’s played PGA National numerous times; it was where he earned his Korn Ferry 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.
Im then birdied 17 to take the lead for good. Hughes finished second.
With Choi sporting a perfect record as a caddie on the Tour, will this relationship continue going forward?
“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.
“I definitely noticed more things from the outside, of how guys compose themselves and certain things here and there, just in general . ... Getting a frontrow seat to what it takes to win a PGA Tour event. It’s not something you come across every day.”