Hole in one

At just 20 years old, North York’s Albin Choi is quickly becoming one of Canada’s star golfers — an accomplishment that he’s been working toward when he’s not busy cramming for his university courses.

The amateur golfer is in his third year at North Carolina State University, where he’s built a successful career that initially took root during his high school years at Northview Heights Secondary School.

“Golfing really has been a calling for me and I’ve been in love with it ever since,” says Choi, who took up the sport when he was a toddler in Surrey, British Columbia. “

I didn’t take the game seriously until I was about 13, just because as a kid, I played other sports and wasn’t sure  what I wanted to do growing up.”

By Grade 11, the talented athlete joined his high school’s golf team where he trained with fellow Canadian amateur star, Rebecca Bentham-Lee, and his personal coach Tony Lee.

“I had a great program at Northview,” says Choi. “It really helped athletes get out of school early so that they would have time to train.”

Choi regularly switched from  the classroom to hitting his stride on the golf course. The hard work paid off — just a few months after his high school graduation, Choi won Canada’s Amateur Championship in 2010.

Now, Choi spends most of the year enjoying the sunny, warm weather in North Carolina where he perfects his swing and majors in sports management. But he still calls Toronto home.

“I live in Raleigh right now, which is a pretty big city but nothing like Toronto,” says Choi, whose family still resides in North York. “I grew up in Surrey, B.C., and I grew up in Toronto. I was always the big city person.”

With the long hours at practice, tournaments and completing coursework, Choi spends the little time he has off the greens by relaxing at home. But he’ll have to wait a little bit longer for a real vaction since 2013 is gearing up to be the biggest year of his career.

“For 2013, I just want to have another good season,” says Choi, who represents Canada in the Copa de las Americas golf tournament this month.

“It will be my last season here with N.C. State. I will be turning professional in the summer, so I just want to go out with a bang.”

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