Jericho's walls and 18 holes for K.J. Choi

K.J. Choi, tied for seventh at the halfway point of the Masters, quells his nerves on the golf course by thinking of how Joshua and the Israelites marched around Jericho waiting for the walls to fall.

Choi is Asia’s most decorated player, with eight PGA Tour wins since turning pro in 1994. The son of South Korean vegetable farmers, Choi learned golf by reading books and hitting balls on a clay tennis court before playing his first course at age 16. Three years later he discovered that people made money from the game and decided to work toward becoming a professional golfer.

In an interview with PGATour.com Choi said he has memorized Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Choi contributes to churches, including a Korean Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, N.C., home to the Wyndham Championship, where he won in 2005, and gives away much of his winnings through the K.J. Choi Foundation.

Choi talks to U.S. media through his interpreter and does not talk about his rounds much. Instead, he professes faith in Christ, talks about how far God has brought him in his life, and says the glory goes to Him. Yesterday, he started off with a bogey on the first hole but finished strong with birdies on the difficult 10th and 12th holes before closing out with a 1-under-par 71 to go along with Thursday’s 70, putting him at 3-under for the tournament, three strokes behind leader Jason Day at the start of today’s play.