Tom Kim’s stocks rise higher in Las Vegas while Jason Day finds form
Tom Kim – photo Getty Images
I first became aware of Joohyung (Tom) Kim while involved in on course commentary at the 2020 New Zealand Open in Queenstown in New Zealand’s tourism playground.
Two of the coverage’s producers from the Asian Tour had suggested that Kim was the man to beat that week and placed bets on him at lucrative odds and while he had already won on the Asian Tour at that point at just seventeen years of age, I was keen to see whether this young man was able to live up the to the hype.
Kim never let us down that week and, although he did not win, he led into the last round and before finishing 4th and impressed all involved with an amazing level of maturity and calmness, especially for one so young.
He quickly put aside any adversity he faced especially during the final round and an in interview I had done with him after the third round, he displayed a level of self-belief that suggested his final round would not be anything to be overawed by.
Admittedly he did not win that week but he left New Zealand and those behind with the impression that here was a young man heading for great heights and so it has proved.
Kim today won his second PGA Tour title just two months after winning his first in Greensboro and will improve to around 16th place in the world ranking and after beginning the year in 131st place he is now amongst the elite of the game and heading even higher.
Kim held off a strong final round challenge from the game’s 4th ranked player Patrick Cantlay, the pair locked in a see-sawing battle throughout the final round until it was the more experienced Cantlay who cracked with a very messy triple bogey at the last to open the door for Kim’s second PGA tour title which he grabbed with both hands by parring the last to win by three.
For Kim, the US$1.4 million was his biggest cheque in the game but it might be that his performance at the Presidents Cup where he earnt nothing for himself, but was a star of the International team, that was the catalyst for this victory.
Kim won twice in the fourball and foursome matches and narrowly lost to the inform Max Homa in the singles, his effort at Quail Hollow proving to be a key factor in the comeback by the Internationals in the latter half of that event.
“It’s really amazing,” said Kim. “A few months ago, I didn’t have any status in the U.S., and now being a two-time winner on TOUR, having that place with Tiger, it’s an unbelievable feeling for me” (he is the first player since Tiger to win twice on the PGA Tour before the age of 21).
“It’s an honour for me, and it’s definitely a dream come true,” said the 20-year-old Kim, winner of the Wyndham Championship in August.
“Coming off a win, Playoffs, the Presidents Cup, and a win this week is – I mean, it’s absolutely amazing. I’ve just got to keep going, and I’m enjoying the ride, so hopefully, many more to come. I’ve still got a long way to go, and I want to hopefully have a long career on the PGA TOUR. I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Australia’s Jason Day produced his best finish on the PGA Tour since a 3rd place at the Farmers Insurance event at Torrey Pines in February when he finished in a share of 8th, buoyed by a final nine of 29 for a round of 63.
“I don’t know — actually I’ve hit the ball pretty well the whole week, just round 2 got me, and I didn’t particularly putt that great on round 2,” said the 34 year old.
“Then I just started off with a birdie on 10 and then I knew that with the pin locations coming in, if I could just get it on the fairway, and I drove the ball really nicely this week, I could get some wedges in my hands, and then from there, just one thing after another.
“I think I was just so far out of it that you’re just not even really worrying. You’re just trying to keep pushing up the leaderboard..
“Yeah, obviously it’s a little disappointing sitting here and looking at my round on round 2. It could have been obviously a lot better. But it’s been a good step in the right direction this week. I know that I’ve got a week off next week, and I’m into CJ (the next but one event on the PGA Tour), which is nice. I’m looking forward to trying to keep that momentum rolling.”
