Ho Sung Choi receives sponsor exemption into 2019 John Deere Classic

Ho Sung Choi is returning to the PGA TOUR.

The Internet sensation has received a sponsor exemption into the John Deere Classic, which will be played July 10-14 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois.

The self-taught, former fisherman owns four worldwide victories, including the 2018 Casio World Ranking, and has cracked the top 200 in the world ranking.

“We’re excited to welcome Ho Sung Choi to the John Deere Classic. We think our fans will enjoy his unique style of play, as well as his fun personality,” said tournament director Clair Peterson.

Choi made his PGA TOUR debut at this year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He is known for his “fisherman’s swing” and his post-impact gyrations as he tries to influence the ball’s flight.

Choi first developed his current swing in 2013 while trying to hit a shot out of the deep rough. When he found that his helicopter action helped add 13 yards to his tee shots, it soon became his standard swing.

Choi’s fascinating personal story started with his boyhood in a seaside town 230 miles north of Seoul, where his father worked hard as a small fisherman and his mother a diver. He lost part of his thumb in an accident at a specialized fishing industry school, though the thumb later was reattached with skin from his stomach.

Choi didn’t take up golf until he was 19 while working a part-time job in a pro shop at a course in South Korea. Unable to afford lessons, he read golf instructional books and initially tried to imitate the swings of the game’s greats.

Click here for more on Choi and his unique game.