Choi follows in father's footsteps

By Rick Mauch 

You could say a change in his father's career created the career of Weatherford College freshman golfer Chris Choi. 

His father played baseball in his younger years and was among the top five pitchers in all of Korea, leading his high school team to a runner-up finish in the national competition. However, as a junior in high school, he quit baseball and began playing golf, getting good enough to turn professional. 

An elbow injury forced early retirement. Now, he is Chris' swing coach, helping his son garner a scholarship to play for the Coyotes in their revival season. 

"He has helped me with my swing and my golf game ever since I started. Having him as my golf coach and my mentor is awesome because he knows me so well and really cares about me, so I know the things he tells me are for my benefit," Chris said. "If I have any problems with my game, I always ask him, and we always find solutions together. 

"I learned so much from him over the years about the game of golf. Starting off with the basics and the fundamentals of the game, he has taught me how important it is to have a strong mental mindset." 

The Chois moved to America when Chris was 11. He started playing golf at an early age, but not with the enthusiasm one might have thought. 

"I had a great opportunity to start playing at an early age, but I never found golf fun at an early age," Chris said. 

That changed, and he continued to play. Now, he's enjoying being a part of history as part of the first Coyotes golf team in more than two decades as the program returned from its sabbatical this season. 

"Being part of this revival team makes me feel special and excited because we are setting bars for future Coyotes. This program is special to me and the team, and I'm excited to show the other schools and their teams that we are here to compete and that we are going to be a threat to them," he said. 

That was evident in the fall season as the Coyotes made an immediate impact, including a second-place finish at the UHV Fall Classic in Victoria in October. Choi shot a career-low of 66 in a tournament in Ruidoso, followed by rounds of 70 and 71 for a 9-under total. 

Before joining the Coyotes, Chris was a standout at Burleson High School for three years before transferring to Mansfield Legacy. At Burleson, he earned numerous accolades, including his team's freshman of the year, newcomer of the year and MVP. At Legacy, though his scores couldn't be counted because of UIL transfer rules, he was still allowed to play and had they counted he would have finished in the top three in several tournaments. 

He said he came to WC because he believes WC coach Jesse Speirs can help him advance in several ways. 

"I really liked him over the other coaches I was talking to and was really convinced that he could be the guy that can help take me to the next level, and not only be a better golfer but a greater person," Chris said. 

Because of his dad's elbow injury, the two have not played many actual golf rounds together, Chris said. He would often play with his oldest sister while growing up. 

"We would compete every time we play, and, even during our practice session, we would be competing for something. She stopped playing when she was a senior in high school," he said. 

Chris is majoring in business. It could come in handy with handling his finances if he's successful at his biggest dream. 

"My plans after WC are to play golf at a Division I school and turn pro after," he said.