K.J. Choi leads after second round at The Senior Open Championship

Things to Know

• K.J. Choi carded 69 for the second consecutive day to take a two-stroke advantage over 18-hole leader Stephen Ames entering the weekend at The Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex.
• 36-hole cut: 74 players posted 7-over or better to make the cut from a field of 154 players.

K.J. Choi, 69-69 – 138 (-6)

• This is his third time leading/co-leading after the second round on PGA TOUR Champions.
  • Is 1-for-2 converting those into victories
• The 54-year-old seeks his second win on PGA TOUR Champions (80th start).
  • Last win: 2021 PURE Insurance Championship
• Making his 16th start of the 2024 season, he has four top-10 finishes.
  • Best finish of 2024: T4 (two times: Mitsubishi Electric Classic; Kaulig Companies Championship)
  • Entered the week No. 11 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings
• Seeks his first major title on PGA TOUR Champions
  • Best finish in a senior major: T3 (two times: 2021 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship; 2023 Kaulig Companies Championship)
• Making his second appearance at The Senior Open, he finished T14 in 2023.
• In two appearances when Carnoustie hosted The Open Championship, he finished T49 (1999) and T8 (2007) Stephen Ames, 68-72 – 140 (-4).
• The 60-year-old seeks his ninth win on PGA TOUR Champions (213th start).
  • Last win: 2024 Mitsubishi Electric Classic
• Seeks his third win of the 2024 season (16th start)
  • Previous wins: Chubb Classic (Feb. 16-18); Mitsubishi Electric Classic (April 26-28)
  • With a win, he would match Ernie Els for the most wins by a player this season on PGA TOUR Champions (3).
  • Entered the week No. 2 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings
• Seeks his first major title on PGA TOUR Champions
  • Best finish in a senior major: 2nd (2022 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship)
• Making his sixth appearance at The Senior Open, he has one top-10 finish.
  • Best finish: T3 (2018)

Other Notes

• Two-time runner-up (2022, 2023) Padraig Harrington carded 70 and sits T3 at 3-under. The World Golf Hall of Fame member won the 2007 Open Championship held at Carnoustie.
• Seeking his first win on PGA TOUR Champions, Richard Green sits T3 at 3-under after shooting 72 in the second round. At the 2007 Open Championship, held at Carnoustie, Green finished T4.
• 62-year-old Miguel Angel Martin posted 71 for the second consecutive day and sits in fifth at 2-under. His best finish in a PGA TOUR Champions event is T6 (two times: 2016 Rogers Charity Classic; 2017 Senior Open presented by Rolex).
• Five players are T6 at 1-under, including 2022 champion Darren Clarke, 2016 champion Paul Broadhurst and Arjun Atwal, who carded the low round of the day with 4-under 68.
• Four-time champion (2010, 2014, 2017, 2019) Bernhard Langer sits T11 at even par.
• Mark Hensby and 2011 champion Russ Cochran each withdrew before the start of the second round.