The Barclays round three: Choi makes sense, on the course at least

Sunday August 26, 2007 | 09:06:28 460 words, 3869 views

I’m offering a prize (bar of chocolate enough?) to anyone who can tell me what K J Choi was talking about after his round Saturday. He’s a great and generous guy, and a mighty fine golfer to boot, but he doesn’t half mangle his English. I guess the transcribers at asapsports.com have the same problem because they only managed a couple of terse and barely intelligible paragraphs themselves. All I recall is the word ‘left’ peppering his replies quite a lot, as in that is where his ball keeps going. That obviously isn’t quite the plan for someone who has decided his route to success is to stick to the fade shot.

Best advice I can give the Korean is to keep his driver in the bag as much as possible. The market obviously isn’t too fazed by Saturday’s “poor” round, making him still the slight favourite at about 3.5 despite being a shot behind Steve Stricker. Stricker, as we all know, has shown a tendency to wobble on the final day while Choi is no stranger to winning from behind: he came from five behind to take the Memorial and two behind to snatch the AT&T.

There will probably be birdies aplenty again. The course hasn’t toughened up as much as expected and with cloud and maybe some more rain the greens are likely to stay soft and attackable.

That’s good news for Hunter Mahan after his third round of 62 this season. What a run this guy is enjoying: he’s only been out of the top 20 once in his last eight outings (including two majors) and that was 22nd at the Bridgestone. Even though it’s not new, the story of precisely how he turned it round in an almost Damascene conversion at the US Open qualifier makes fascinating reading, especially for anyone who regularly curses and throws his clubs around the course. You can catch it here.

Commentators are making much of the fact that Mahan’s other 62s this year, in the Travelers and Canadian, were followed by 71 and 74 respectively. But he makes the point that those were his opening rounds. This is Sunday, and Sunday is always a fresh day.

I agree, and think he’ll be a key player in what could be an enthralling finale. Obviously there are a few others with potential to upset the banana boat if they could get behind a six or seven under. Although Rich Beem has been going backwards all week, we all know Woody Austin can pull off a last round charge, for instance.

But my eye is on Choi and Mahan. If the Korean can find a few more fairways and steel his putter, I’ll be quite happy to listen to another indecipherable interview with the winner.

15 comments

Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: 2under [Visitor]

I didn't understand it either, but Choi gets an "A" for effort. At least he tries.

I have just as difficult a time understanding Padraig, and he supposedly shares a commom language.

Permalink 2007-08-27 @ 09:18

Comment from: Anthony Urquhart (PGA Punter) [Visitor] · http://www.pgapunter.com

Fair point 2under, though I think I got the bit about the ladybirds! :-)

Permalink 2007-08-27 @ 10:32

Comment from: Steve [Visitor]

Oooh..not good Mr. Urguhart. No need to rip a guy for trying to speak English. I've been there myself. You know how long it took me to learn English? I can't tell you because I'm still learning. I came to the States when I was 12 years and I'm still stumbling over words and phrases. I can't imagine being 29 years old and trying to learn while trying to make a living for his family! And it's not like coming from Italy to America and learning English. they share at least a common alphabet. The Korean alphabet is completely different.

Give the man a break. If anything you, the reporters, should help him out. I heard his freinds like Chris Dimarco and Vijay Sighn help him out on tour.

Have a good week.

Cheers,

Korean American.

Permalink 2007-08-28 @ 10:26

Comment from: Anthony Urquhart (PGA Punter) [Visitor] · http://www.pgapunter.com

Steve, Iranians used to laugh at me rotten with my pidgin Persian when I first lived there (for 8 years). Didn't upset me none; I laughed even louder. Persian's got a pretty wacky alphabet too - still trying to work out where all the written vowels went. I think a sense of proportion is wise in everything, don't you? And as I say elsewhere, it is frustrating because I want to understand what K J is saying - he clearly has very interesting things to say.

Cheers to you my friend.

Anthony

English, Welsh, Scots with Iranian children.

Permalink 2007-08-28 @ 19:42

Comment from: Christian Lee [Visitor]

Mr. Urquhart,

I just read an article in travelgolf.com and decided
to check our your article.
You continue to defend yourself by saying that you
were merely trying to find out what Choi was saying
during the interview. Perhaps you were.
However, the choice of words you were using here in
this article clearly suggests that you were mocking Choi
for his poor English skill. "Choi makes sense, on the course
at least"??? If you had no intention of making fun of him,
why else would you make that the title of your column?
You sound like an intelligent person. Don't assume
that the readers are not. Your statement about you
merely wanting to understand Choi only upsets readers.
If you politely apologize, it will be greatly appreciated.
If you don't, that will be fine... You're just one of
those people.

Permalink 2007-08-29 @ 23:47

Comment from: Daniel [Visitor]

Christian, I get the sense Urqui here is DEFINITELY one of those people. "My pidgin Persian..." Give me a break.

Permalink 2007-08-30 @ 02:54

Comment from: H [Visitor]

Chris, I very much appreciate your intelligent insight. I cannot believe a well-read site such as worldgolf.com would let Urquhart waste their precious space with such ignorance. As for Mr. Urquhart, it is actually YOU who need to get out more. Defending your trashy, valueless and attention- grubbing comment at a fellow journalist's site is pretty lame, don't you think? Shouldn't you be spending more time trying to figure out what other international golfers are saying during their interviews? Maybe that would help.

Permalink 2007-08-30 @ 03:11

Comment from: PGA Punter [Member] · http://www.worldgolf.com/blogs/pga.punter

Guys, you are entiled to your views. I stick by mine. But Daniel, to help you at least because you seem to need it:

"pidgin" = (loosely) any simplified or broken form of a language, esp. when used for communication between speakers of different languages. (dictionary.com)

Permalink 2007-08-30 @ 07:06

Comment from: PETER LEE [Visitor]

Anthony Urquhart:
You are an idiot for not even knowing that
"Persian" is not a language. Shame on you.
You must think "Indian" and "Chinese" are
languages too. They're not, you fool.
Persian, Indian and Chinese are races. Examples of
their languages are Farsi, Tamil and Mandarin,
respectively. Know your s*t before you talk
s*t about someone's language ability, whether
or not your s*t is justified or warranted, you
dumbass. Ignorant jackasses like you are the main
reason why non-native English speakers are
reluctant to speak freely. Add Diplomacy 101 to
your Languages/Races 101 course.

Permalink 2007-08-30 @ 11:10

Comment from: Jay [Visitor]

It's people like Urquhart so senseless, egocentric, and coward that makes us "ugly American" throughout the world.

And it's people like you Urq that's going to question "why is s/he still using interpreter after all these years playing here?"

And I'm sure you wouldn't publicly bs about player's English if s/he were a European.

Permalink 2007-08-30 @ 17:02

Comment from: Ken Bae [Visitor]

I’m wondering one thing, Mr. Urquhart. Are you trying to say that you’re an ignorant person because you never seriously tried other languages but your mother tongue? Or that you’re insensitive person to feel nothing even when people of your own children’s heritage make fun of you?

I mean, if you have ever seriously tried to learn any other language, you should know how hard it to understand the other culture. Education, relationship, history, jokes, taboos, and millions of more aspects are melted into a language. That is probably why linguists are claiming that only 80% of your thoughts are effectively communicated to others even if you’re speaking in your own mother tongue. If you have a slightest idea how hard it is to understand other culture, especially when majority of your focus is on something else, say “survival in the world of fierce competition”?

In your reply, you wrote as if you have “tried” other language and didn’t care what others were saying to you(or laughing at you) about your language skill. You probably tried a few words in Farsi, like “hello”, “thank you” or some sort. You must have been hurt badly if you really tried.

If this “makes any sense” to you, Mr. Urquhart, I think it’s time for you to bite the bullet and offer your sincere apology to your readers and to KJ.

Permalink 2007-08-30 @ 17:21

Comment from: Paul Limb [Visitor]

PGA Punter,

Your idea that trash-talking a top 10 golfer in the world simply because he does not speak English well enough is truly despicable and disheartening. KJ is one of the most engaging and sincere interviewees I've seen on TV and in the clubhouse.

Golf is a global game, attracting more people to our country for tourist dollars and chasing that elusive American / Tiger dream. Your comment will sting the heart of a lot of international players whose first-language is not Engligh to be a lot less than forthcoming with doing interviews.

You should be censored by your own organization.

Way to go, KJ, for your aplomb and cool in this FedEx race; you don't need blabbermouths like Urquhart, but that's life.

Permalink 2007-08-30 @ 19:27

Comment from: Daniel [Visitor]

Peter Lee, thanks for your spot-on comment. I couldn't have said it better myself. As for you, Urq, your feeble attempt to respond by quoting dictionary.com tells me you really have a looooong way to go in the "how to be culturally responsible in a PUBLIC forum" department. While you are surfing dictionary.com, you might as well look up "insensitive," "irresponsible" and "lame," because they all have your pictures posted.

Permalink 2007-08-30 @ 22:41

Comment from: Peter [Visitor]

Anthony Urquhart:
I have five words for you. You are fat and ugly.

Permalink 2007-08-31 @ 00:06

Comment from: Christian Lee [Visitor]

Urq,

Saying something so carelessly can happen. For you to deny it and saying "I'll stick by my views." is something else. Not only you are an ignorant person, you have absolutely no courage. Think about that. You are a coward.. Cowwards act this way. I said to you above that if you really didn't have intention of mocking Choi, then admit and apologize for choosing wrong words in your article.. You are a racist. I'll stick with my views then. Many readers will stick with the same view I have.

Permalink 2007-09-02 @ 23:40

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The PGA Punter, aka Anthony Urquhart, writes about pro golf from a gamblers point of view. Without claiming to have a crystal ball, the Punter offers WorldGolf.com readers views on the players and wagering possibilities that present themselves each week on tour.