K.J. Choi first learned about golf by reading a Jack Nicklaus instruction book and brought his career full circle by snatching victory in the great man's invitational tournament in Ohio on Sunday.

Choi came from five strokes behind during the final round of the Memorial tournament on Sunday, charging to the lead with six front-nine birdies before hanging on with a series of pressure putts down the stretch.

He sank a five-footer at the last to shoot a seven-under-par 65 and edge out Ryan Moore (66) by one stroke at Muirfield Village.

"The fact it's Jack's tournament made me feel really comfortable," Choi said after finishing at 17-under 271. "I've played in a lot of tournaments, so there wasn't really much pressure for me."

The 37-year-old, who now lives in suburban Houston, collected his fifth victory on the PGA Tour and his 11th professional win worldwide - a record that makes him the most successful Asian player in PGA Tour history.

Choi was in his mid-teens when his physical education high school teacher gave him a Nicklaus instruction manual.

"He (the teacher) kept emphasising 'this is a book written by a very famous golfer. If you become a professional golfer, there's a good future ahead of you'," Choi recalled.

"That's why I started reading the book and got a feel for what Jack was trying to teach. At the beginning I tried it the way he told me, and it felt really good. That's how I got into golf."

Nicklaus may have taught Choi the fundamentals, but it is harder to teach heart, of which Choi showed plenty down the stretch to fend off the chasing pack.

He sank a seven-footer to save par at the par-three 16th, and a 16-footer at the next, before getting up and down from a greenside bunker at the last.

That meant 2004 United States champion Moore, who was already in the clubhouse, could not win, but Choi still had to stave off challenges from Adam Scott and third round leader Rod Pampling, who were both one shot behind with two holes left.

When they both bogeyed the 17th, however, it was as good as over, and Choi could accept the congratulations of the tournament host.

Pampling parred the last to shoot 72 and tie with Kenny Perry (63), two shots behind, while Scott bogeyed the last to fall back into a tie for fifth.

Moore made his move very late, with five consecutive birdies starting at the 13th. As it turned out, he needed to make it six in a row to force a play-off.

"To even be in the position I was on 18, I'm very surprised," Moore said. "After I didn't birdie (the 11th), I made an internal goal to post 15-under.

"I started getting it going and all of a sudden I'm in it. Obviously I want to win, and anything short of that is disappointing, but I'll take five birdies in a row on the back side on Sunday every week and won't complain."

Moore will have little time to reflect on his stellar performance, as he is due to run the gauntlet of United States Open sectional qualifying today

Choi, on the other hand, will have time to celebrate: "I feel very honoured and very happy to be living in the same age as Jack, and to win his tournament is so meaningful to me," he said.

Collated final scores & totals (US unless stated, par 72)

271 KJ Choi (Kor) 69 70 67 65

272 Ryan Moore 66 69 71 66

273 Kenny Perry 69 74 67 63, Rodney Pampling (Aus) 65 68 68 72

274 Adam Scott (Aus) 70 62 72 70, Sean O'Hair 65 70 69 70

Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 68 68 70 68, Stewart Cink 69 71 65 69

276 Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 66 68 71 71, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 70 67 69 70

277 Will MacKenzie 67 73 65 72, Brett Quigley 70 69 71 67

278 Billy Mayfair 68 71 71 68, Matt Kuchar 68 73 69 68

279 Tiger Woods 70 72 70 67, Vijay Singh (Fij) 69 72 71 67

Tim Herron 66 73 69 71, Ernie Els (Rsa) 66 75 71 67

Rocco Mediate 69 73 72 65, Jason Gore 70 70 71 68

280 Richard S Johnson (Swe) 73 69 68 70, Alex Cejka (Ger) 71 72 68 69

281 Jim Furyk 70 69 71 71, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 69 73 69 70

Bo Van Pelt 74 72 70 65, Ted Purdy 68 69 72 72, Bubba Watson 66 68 73 74

Nick O'Hern (Aus) 65 74 69 73

282 Stephen Marino 73 71 66 72, Boo Weekley 69 69 72 72

283 Paul Casey 72 69 70 72, Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 72 67 70 74

Camilo Villegas (Col) 69 71 72 71, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 68 75 70 70

284 Anthony Kim 74 72 71 67, Robert Garrigus 69 74 70 71

Mark Calcavecchia 70 70 72 72, Luke Donald 73 70 71 70

Craig Kanada 70 70 70 74, D.J. Trahan 69 71 71 73

285 Nick Watney 68 69 73 75, Nathan Green (Aus) 73 70 71 71

Ben Curtis 70 72 69 74, Tom Pernice Jnr. 71 74 70 70

286 Jerry Kelly 73 72 69 72, John Senden (Aus) 71 72 73 70

Ryan Palmer 70 74 72 70, Woody Austin 71 72 70 73

Tom Lehman 71 71 71 73, Bob Tway 69 72 68 77

287 Jeff Quinney 74 72 71 70, Ryuji Imada (Jpn) 69 75 74 69

Ken Duke 73 72 73 69, Stuart Appleby (Aus) 70 74 71 72

288 Daniel Chopra (Swe) 71 72 74 71, Charley Hoffman 72 73 72 71

Justin Leonard 70 71 73 74, Jeff Sluman 72 71 75 70

289 Jose Coceres (Arg) 74 72 69 74, Steve Lowery 68 75 73 73

Mark Wilson 71 75 68 75

290 Bart Bryant 73 72 75 70, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 70 74 72 74

Corey Pavin 70 73 75 72, Johan Edfors (Swe) 70 72 76 72

291 Todd Hamilton 75 71 75 70

292 Mark Hensby (Aus) 71 71 73 77

293 Shaun Micheel 74 69 77 73

294 Frank Lickliter II 75 70 72 77

296 Billy Andrade 74 69 78 75

298 Paul Azinger 74 71 76 77