Si Woo

Kim

Playing alongside Rory McIlroy in the final group, Kim carded six birdies today which tied for the most in the field today. He had one too many big numbers, though, when all was said and done. Kim swallowed three double bogeys this week If he could erase just one of those and replaced it with a par he would have found himself in a three-man playoff. Instead, he’ll settle for his fourth straight top 20 at the Memorial. The Korean ended the week ranked 2nd in strokes gained tee-to-green but 52nd in putting. Kim now has 16 career top-fives on his PGA TOUR resume.

The local resident lapped the field average by four shots today but it was one shot shy when all was said and done. He split just 8-of-14 fairways, not fully utilizing preferred lies, but still managed 16 GIR. For the week, he gained 3.5 or more strokes in three categories of strokes gained (approach, around-the-green, putting). “I think it was a great week, especially this is my kind of second hometown. It feels great to play great at home week.” This will go in the books as his 11th career podium finish on the PGA TOUR. He is now 8th in the FedExCup standings.

Kim started his week with a 4-and-3 win over Chris Kirk and he kept his foot on the gas today. Hovland gifted him a pair of bogeys early in the match but Kim caught fire with five birdies in a 10-hole stretch. “I think Presidents Cup helps me a lot experience this kind of match play, and then yeah, after Presidents Cup feels comfortable and I like to play match play.” Kim arrived with a ho-hum, 5-8-3 record at the event but he’s off to the races this week ahead of a Friday match with 59-seed Matt Kuchar. With this loss, Viktor Hovland has no chance to advance out of group stage.

Kim erased two blemishes with eight birdies today and he needed all eight to avoid a playoff when all was said and done. The highlight of his round came at the par-3 17th where he chipped in for birdie to claim a share of the lead, just moments after Hayden Buckley retook the lead at the hole behind them. Steady striking was the recipe for success this week as he ranked T19 in fairways hit, T2 in GIR, 1st in strokes gained tee-to-green. The latter was largely due to him gaining a whopping 8.2 strokes on approach this week. Kim now has four career PGA TOUR titles and all four have come on courses with bermudagrass greens.

Kim had a comfortable pairing out of the gate, playing alongside Tom Kim and Max Homa, they were able to relive the Presidents Cup from a few weeks ago. “I always like to play Max. He’s such a nice guy and a great player. I always learn from him something. Tom Kim as well, and we’re good friends. We always hang out together.” That comfortable pairing combined with confidence from the Presidents Cup resulted in 15 GIR which Kim turned into eight birdies, erasing a lone blemish. He gained roughly a stroke off-the-tee today and walked off the course ranked 5th in strokes gained approach (+2.4).

Thomas entered with a 4-0-0 record on the week but Kim was arriving with a lot of confidence after an emotional win on Saturday afternoon alongside Tom Kim. “This is my second time I had a little bit of experience. I think that helps. And then, yeah, Tom Kim gave me, like, good energy yesterday. And then I believe that I can do this again. I did it.” The American jumped out to a 2UP lead through four holes but Kim got one back just before the turn and it was a slugfest from there. There was no blood on just two of the final 11 holes with Kim winning six of those holes, Thomas snagging three. This win might be a little too late to help this week but could certainly help with the young Korean’s confidence moving forward.

Kim is the only pick of the bunch with any Presidents Cup experience (2017). The event is set to take place the week of September 20-25. Immelman weighed in on his decisions and each was picked for a variety of reasons. For Pendrith, “Quail Hollow is a golf course which rewards length, and Taylor is without doubt one of the longest drivers of the ball in our sport.” Talking about Bezuidenhout he added the following, “As a fellow South African, I’ve watched his game evolve throughout his career, and he is statistically one of the best putters in the game. I look forward to him bringing that weapon to Quail Hollow Club.” The International Team got hit with the news of Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, and Joaquin Niemann leaving just last week, but they will regroup and carry on as the major underdog role. Team USA has won 11-of-13 previous editions (1 tie, 1 Int’l) and is currently -500 favorites on the early betting boards.

Kim was slow out of the gate with a three-putt bogey at the 4th and three other birdie chances slipped by from inside of 13 feet, before the turn. “I was struggling putting and then I just decided to change the putting grip, so I think that makes more feel comfortable. I think that’s why a couple putt on the back nine and I got confidence, keep going through.” The change of putting grip paid off as he converted three birdies from outside of 12 feet on his final nine holes including a pair from outside of 21 feet. Kim saved the best for last as he holed out for eagle at the par-4 18th, attacking with an 8-iron from 168 yards. He currently shares the lead alongside J.J. Spaun and if this co-lead holds then it would be his second time holding a first-round lead on the PGA TOUR (T4/ 2019 Valero Texas Open).

After opening with 67-68, the 27-year-old began six back, held his position on the board, but now trails by eight after a six-birdie two-bogey showing on Day 3. He arrived 50th in the FedExCup standings and off a T15 at The 150th Open two weeks ago, where he was T5 thru 54 holes (69-69-67-73), and has mustered just one top 10 this season in 25 tries, a backdoor T8 at the Sanderson Farms 24 starts ago (October), where he was T16 thru 54 holes. At the three-quarter pole this week, the South Korean has totaled 17 birdies versus four bogeys, ranks 19th SG: Tee-to-Green (4.248), primarily on the strength of 3.740 around-the-green (2nd-ranked), and 10th SG: Putting, 0.606 of the latter in R3. He’ll play out of the fourth-to-last twosome on Sunday with rookie and first-timer Taylor Moore.

The 27-year-old, who’s handed in laps of 69-69-67 and will be in the third-to-last pairing in R4 with World No. 1 and fellow Dallas resident Scottie Scheffler, arrived off three straight missed cuts at the U.S. Open, Travelers and last week’s Scottish Open, and is vying for a first major top 10 in 23 tries. His best among five top 25s is a T12 at last season’s 85th Masters (Apr. 2021), while his best at The Open in three prior appearances -- and lone cash -- was a T67 two visits ago in 2018 at Carnoustie. After today’s six-birdie, one-bogey showing, which was good for a +4.33 SG: Total, the South Korean offered (link below): “The leaders like 16, but, yeah, I don’t care about leaders or what score I am. That’s why I was trying to do it today and it worked. So I hope trying to do the same tomorrow too.” His most recent of three TOUR wins in 210 events is last season’s AmEx 47 starts ago, where he was a 54-hole tri-leader and fired a bogey-free 8-under 64 to win by one over top-ranked and pre-tourney fave Patrick Cantlay (course-record 61).