Why was winning THE PLAYERS Championship particularly emotional for KJ Choi?

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KJ Choi said winning THE PLAYERS Championship was especially emotional because it fulfilled his long-held dream of seeing the Korean flag raised at the tournament and made him the first Korean and Asian winner.

Choi described the 2011 THE PLAYERS Championship win as the realisation of a goal he had carried for years, watching the national flags of previous winners being raised at TPC Sawgrass and wondering when the Korean flag would be lifted. He said it was also emotionally bigger than his other eight PGA TOUR victories, because becoming the first Asian and Korean player to win THE PLAYERS made the achievement “extra special” to him. He added that he cried the most after this win and felt genuinely thrilled because he believed every player wants to win THE PLAYERS, described as the TOUR’s flagship event.
He had been waiting to see the Korean flag raised
Choi said that when he lived in Jacksonville, Florida in 2000, he practised regularly on TPC Sawgrass and watched the tournament winners’ flags being raised throughout the year. He often wondered if his Korean flag would be raised one day, and he carried the same thought when he later moved to Houston and continued visiting the course to practise. He qualified for his first PLAYERS Championship in 2002 and returned to TPC Sawgrass as an annual stop.
The win matched a persistent dream he had pursued for years
He said his desire to win THE PLAYERS was persistent, including visiting TPC Sawgrass to practise and contemplate the possibility. When he arrived for the 2011 edition, he described his game as being in great shape after finishing tied second in New Orleans a couple of weeks earlier. Even though he had never registered a top 10 at THE PLAYERS in nine previous attempts, he set his primary goal as making the halfway cut and then progressively pushed for a top-10 finish.
It made him the first Korean and Asian champion at THE PLAYERS
Choi said the accomplishment carried added pride because he became the first Asian and Korean player to win THE PLAYERS Championship. He tied that milestone to the emotional impact of the trophy itself, describing it as the main highlight of his career and surpassing the significance of his other eight PGA TOUR wins. He also said he was proud of shooting under par for four rounds.
He described the moment as his biggest emotional release
He said that once he realised he was THE PLAYERS champion, he cried the most among his eight PGA TOUR wins. He described the victory as one that every player desires because of how strong he viewed the tournament to be, while also calling attention to the extra meaning of being the first Korean and Asian winner. He later referred to the win as the main highlight of his career, achieved exactly 10 years earlier from the time of his remarks.

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Why was winning THE PLAYERS Championship particularly emotional for KJ Choi?

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