LAS VEGAS – Tom Kim is under a bit of pressure this week, as he prepares to defend his PGA Tour title for the first time. He couldn’t do it while injured at the 2023 Wyndham championship.
Kim smiled during a Tuesday media session at the Shriners Children’s Open, held at TPC Summerlin. He recalled his last year’s dazzling performance, when he was the second-youngest player to win two times on the PGA Tour, after Ralph Guldahl, in 1932. Tiger Woods, in 1996, became the first to win before the age of 21, and the only winner since Lee Trevino, in 1974, to complete 72 holes
While he may feel a little extra pressure this week, the pressure that he will face at the Olympics or Asian Games is far greater.
Si Woo Kim, Sungjae Im and their South Korean natives helped win the gold in golf less than two weeks earlier. The PGA Tour pros were exempted from two years of mandatory military service.
All males who are physically fit and able to do so must serve in the military between 18-21 months after they turn 19. The date can be delayed, but if there is no cultural reason to justify the service, such as an Olympic medal, then service will be mandatory.
Kim, now 21 years old, will have to perform a similar feat if he doesn’t want to be forced into military service.
Kim replied, “That’s an excellent question,” when asked Tuesday about his current status. We’ll learn more in the near future.
Kim hasn’t competed since the Tour Championship but it’s been a great year for him. He’s finished in the top 25 of each of his five last starts, and he even managed a T-2 finish at the Open Royal Liverpool. It won’t suffice to free him from the obligation.
Some have struggled to regain their form after a two-year absence. Seung Yul Noh and Sang Moon Bae, two Korean golfers that won on Tour have not been able regain their form.
The Featured Groups for Thursday @ShrinersOpen
10:23 AM ET – Akshay Bhattia / J. T. Poston / Eric Cole10;34 AM ET – Si Woo Kim / Cam Davis / Scott Stallings
Afternoon
Luke List, Nick Taylor and Tom Kim at 3:13 PM ET
4:19 PM ET – Kevin Roy / Trevor Werbylo / Lexi Thompson pic.twitter.com/D9mj4VYkWYOctober 10, 2023 — PGA TOUR LIVE
“These medals are obviously helpful.” It depends on the medal. Kim stated that, “I’m aware of the exemptions they get for achieving gold.” “Asian Games look like gold but from what I know, an Olympic medal should be enough.”
Kim’s goal is to be the only player to win consecutive Shriners. Jim Furyk is the only player who has won the event back-to-back years. He did this in 1998 and 1999.
According to oddsmakers who work on the Vegas Strip just a few minutes away from Summerlin, Kim is the clear favorite to win the race again. He edges out Ludvig berg. Kim is certainly capable of defending himself, but it’s unlikely that he will be able to navigate Summerlin again without a mistake as he was last year. Only J.T. Poston played four rounds at the Wyndham without any blips in the past half century.
Kim stated that “it’s not something to expect this week.” It’s easy to set expectations so high, because I made 24 birdies and didn’t make one bogey.
“Bogeys happen. “I can’t avoid making a bogey.”
