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May 15th 2011, Point Vedra Beach, Florida, U.S.A.: K.J. Choi beat David Toms on the first playoff hole Sunday at the par-3 17th to win THE PLAYERS Championship, the biggest victory in the Korean's career.

It's an early birthday present for Choi, who turns 41 on Thursday.

Choi won by two-putting for par from 40 feet, 11 inches at the island-green 17th. Toms, meanwhile, three-putted from 18 feet, 10 inches -- missing a par putt from 3-1/2 feet.

"I just wasn't there on the putt," said Toms, who was seeking his first TOUR win in five years. "I was probably thinking ahead and thinking about the next hole and I just got up there and missed it."

As a result, Choi claimed his eighth career PGA TOUR win and his first in three years. He moves to sixth in the latest FedExCup standings. Bubba Watson remains atop the points list.

Although Choi practiced at TPC Sawgrass when he used to live in the area before moving to The Woodlands outside Houston, he never had enjoyed much success at THE PLAYERS. His best finish in nine previous starts in this event was a tie for 15th in 2006, and he had missed the cut three times.

But he was solid all week, shooting four sub-par rounds to finish at 13 under with Toms. Choi wrapped up a 5-under 67 on Sunday morning to complete his third round, then posted a 2-under 70 in the final round.

"For me to shoot under par on this course every day, it's like a miracle, to be honest with you," Choi said.

Choi becomes the fourth consecutive international player to win THE PLAYERS. Sunday's playoff is also the fourth consecutive week in which a PGA TOUR event has gone to a playoff.

The playoff hole extended what already was a long day of golf on Sunday, with Choi and Toms playing 31 holes in regulation before deciding the tournament on their 32nd hole of the day.

Toms forced the playoff with a clutch birdie putt at the tough par-4 18th. His drive found the middle of the fairway but landed in a sand divot, making for an awkward approach shot. But he landed the ball 17 feet, 2 inches from the pin, then drilled the birdie putt.

Choi, meanwhile, had to get up-and-down from the greenside rough to secure his par. His curled in his putt from 4 feet, 10 inches, having missed a few putts from similar length earlier in his round.

Choi had overtaken Toms late in the final round, taking a one-shot lead after Toms bogeyed the par-5 16th and Choi birdied the 17th.

Graeme McDowell, who took a one-shot lead after the completion of the third round Sunday morning, shot a final-round 6-over 78, finding the water on several holes.

The nerve-wracking 17th offered its typical drama not only in the playoff but also in regulation.

Choi, teeing off first, knocked his 9-iron to 10 feet, 4 inches below the pin. Toms, hitting third in his group, had to watch Graeme McDowell's tee shot bound off the top of the bulkhead and into the water. Toms managed to keep his ball dry, but his shot nestled up against the collar surrounding the green, leaving him with little chance at birdie.

After Toms' attempt came up short, Choi rolled in his birdie putt, the ball cutting back to the right and into the pin.

Choi had missed several other birdie opportunities during his round, including at the par-5 16th when he still picked up a shot on Toms.

Toms was 245 yards from the flag at the 16th when he opted to go for the green in two. But he hit his approach shot thin and his ball landed in the water near the bulkhead. After taking a drop, he hit his fourth shot to 36 feet.

Meanwhile, Choi opted to lay up, his decision proving to be a good one. He hit his short third shot to within six feet.

But Choi missed his birdie opportunity and had to settle for a share of the lead after Toms finished his bogey.

After Toms and Choi hit their approach shots at the 15th, the possibility of a two-shot swing -- and a lead change -- became a real possibility. Choi had stuck his shot within 10 feet while Toms found the primary rough to the right of the green.

Toms' chip shot came up 13 feet, 8 inches short of the pin -- but he calmly rolled in the putt to save par. Choi still had a chance to join Toms atop the leaderboard, but his birdie putt just missed on the left side as Toms dodged a bullet.

Paul Goydos, who lost in a playoff here to Sergio Garcia, made a nice run on Sunday, completing a 69 in the morning, then following with another 69 in the final round to finish in third place at 11 under.

Goydos -- two shots off the pace and running out of holes -- knocked his tee shot at the 17th to within 11-1/2 feet. But he missed the birdie putt, his last real opportunity to put pressure on the leaders.

Luke Donald and Nick Watney, winners of the two World Golf Championships held earlier this year, both had their chances but could never really gain any momentum. Each shot a 1-under 71, settling for a tie for fourth. For Donald, it's his seventh consecutive top-10 finish of the year.

Sunday began with the completion of the third round, which had been stopped by darkness due to a 4-1/2 weather delay on Sunday. Graeme McDowell emerged as the 54-hole leader but had a nightmarish final round, giving way to Toms and Choi to decide the championship.

But perhaps McDowell's last hole in the third round was a foreshadow of things to come.

McDowell built a three-shot lead with a tap-in birdie on the island-green 17th. But he was shocked to see his approach on the 18th bounce onto the green, take a hard turn to the left and roll all way into the water. He wound up with a double bogey.