Defending champion K.J. Choi looking to break out in Memorial at Muirfield Village

From WorldGolf.com News Services

Defending Memorial champion K.J. Choi says he's hopeful that the positive feelings brought about by his return to Muirfield Village Golf Club will turn the tide as he attempts to break free from a mini-slump.

Choi, who started the season strong, winning his second start of the season in the Sony Open, has missed the cut in his last two events. He hasn't had a top 10 finish in a stroke-play event since tying for seventh at the Northern Trust Open in med-February.

"This week, I think I'm going to be well-prepared," Choi told reporters. "I haven't been playing well in the past couple weeks, but I think I feel good this week. So I'm looking forward to a very good week this week."

Choi, who recorded one of his two victories in 2007 at the Memorial - a tournament established in Dublin, Ohio, by golf legend Jack Nicklaus - enters as the No. 8-ranked player in the world golf standings. He has made the cut in eight of 11 events this year, including three top 10 finishes and six top 25s, and ranks ninth in the FedEx Cup standings.

Memorial organizers had once hoped to feature a field that included all of the world's top 10 players. However, Tiger Woods isn't fully recovered from his knee surgery and other top 10 players like Adam Scott (fatigue), Vijay Singh (rib injury) and Steve Stricker (elbow injury) have withdrawn, leaving the 120-player field a little lacking in star power.

However, the tournament will feature world No. 2-ranked player Phil Mickelson, coming off his victory at last week's Crowne Plaza Invitational. Mickelson found the winner's circle for the second time this season after coming up with a miraculous approach shot from the trees on the 72nd hole at Colonial Country Club to birdie and win by a stroke.

"(I'm) excited about how I'm starting to play, and I want to continue that momentum," Mickelson told reporters. "This will be the last tournament I play before the U.S. Open, and after this event, I'll get home and start practicing at Torrey (Pines), getting ready for that. Although the U.S. Open is on my mind, I would like to play well this week."

Never having won at the Memorial, Mickelson said he'd certainly love to complete a "Legends Slam" and own victories at each of the tournaments hosted by golfing greats.

"I haven't won the U.S. or British Open, so those two are going to be kind of the ones I would like to get the most," Mickelson said. "But this is one of the most prestigious events we have on Tour, so it's high up there."

Also coming off a victory in his last PGA Tour start is Sergio Garcia. The 28-year-old Spaniard returned home for some rest and relaxation after ending a three-year-drought with a victory in The Players Championship.

"I'm definitely rested, so I feel good about that," Garcia said. "I feel like every part of my game is getting better every week.

"I definitely feel like I should, if nothing weird happens, I should be up there, and at least I should have a chance at winning this tournament."

Choi feels the same. Last year, he closed with a 7-under-par 65 for a one-stroke victory over Ryan Moore.

"I know this course, because I've won it," Choi said. "I know where you have to hit it, and I know where you shouldn't hit it. So that gives me - I think it gives me a lot of advantage, and even with the difficult holes, I know how to approach them.

"So, I think having won this tournament before on this course, it definitely gives me the confidence and the edge that I need."

The Memorial

• SCHEDULE: Thursday-Sunday
• SITE: Dublin, Ohio
• COURSE: Muirfield Village Golf Club (7,366 yards, par 72)
• PURSE: $6 million (winner's share: $1.08 million)
• FEDEXCUP POINTS: 25,000 (winner's share: 4,500)
• TV: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 3-6 p.m., 8:30-11:30 p.m. EDT; Saturday, 12:30-2:30 p.m. EDT; Sunday, noon-2 p.m. EDT) and CBS (Saturday, 3-6 p.m. EDT; Sunday, 2:30-6 p.m. EDT)

May 29, 2008