Choi thanks Faldo's former caddie after opening 72

By Norman Dabell

SOUTHPORT (Reuters) - World number 11 K.J. Choi thanked Nick Faldo's former caddie Andy Prodger after posting a two-over-par 72 in the British Open first round on Thursday.

The 37-year-old South Korean ignored high winds and driving rain to lead at Royal Birkdale early on before he found putting on the exposed back nine more difficult.

Choi praised long-serving British caddie Prodger, Faldo's bagman when he won the first of his six majors in the 1987 edition at Muirfield, for helping him cope with the tough conditions.

"It is a very tough course, very tough in a swirly wind and Andy was 100 percent help for me," Choi told reporters after eclipsing the likes of Ernie Els (80), Vijay Singh (80) and world number two Phil Mickelson (79).

"Just two times today we hit the wrong club but I'm very satisfied because it was a good day in the conditions.

"My iron shots were particularly good and it was only my putting on the back nine I found more tough than on the front nine."

UNLIKELY COMBINATION

The unlikely combination of Choi, back on the course where he made his British Open debut 10 years ago, and his English caddie is a winning one with the player having won seven times on the U.S. PGA Tour.

"I can't even speak English very well let alone Korean," Prodger told Reuters. "It's a good job K.J.'s English has come on leaps and bounds."

Choi, bidding to become the first Asian male to win a major, also relied on other sources to help battle the conditions.

"There was something wrong with my back swing a couple of months ago," he said. "This week my coach and I have been working hard at the driving range and I was happy with my swing again.

"I'm more confident and we'll see what happens over the next three days. Today I didn't look too far ahead."

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)