The worldwide group received the periods at Quail Hole Golf Membership on Saturday, and within the course of, Tom Kim secured profitable the week. Regardless of coming into eight matches on the third day of play on the 2022 Presidents Cup down 8-2, Kim walked in putts all around the People and dragged his group again into a contest that appeared to be fully misplaced. Within the course of, the 20-year-old star launched himself to the remainder of the world.
Within the morning foursomes match, Kim and Ok.H. Lee took down World Nos. 1 and 12, Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns. Although the People led on the flip, Kim made a nasty eagle on the par-4 eleventh gap, which he walked off as exhausting as anybody at any group occasion within the historical past of group occasions has walked off a putt. The Lee-Kim duo by no means trailed after that and went on to win 2 and 1.
The afternoon was even higher — as if that have been even attainable. Kim paired with Si Woo Kim, they usually took on the seemingly invincible twosome of Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele in four-ball. Kim once more eagled the par-4 eleventh on a monster putt, nevertheless it seemed as if Cantlay and Schauffele have been going to have the ability to maintain them off and safe at the very least a half level.
After Si Woo birdied the sixteenth to tie it up, the groups remained deadlocked going to the final. Kim hit the 2-iron of his life to 10 toes. He stalked the putt for a very long time, undoubtedly questioning if he had any celebrations left within the holster after a day stuffed with them. He struck the birdie putt that may win a full level in opposition to Cantlay and Schauffele, however he by no means noticed it go in.
Kim bellowed one closing “Let’s go!” towards a global aspect that was chomping on the bit to canine pile him on the inexperienced. It was the proper exclamation level to one of many nice singular days for an Worldwide participant in Presidents Cup historical past.
What has grow to be clear, because the week has worn on, is how determined Kim is to embrace the second. You may virtually see him formulating celebrations in his thoughts as he walked to and across the greens of Quail Hole, and he was nonplussed at having to tackle the titanic twosome of Cantlay and Schauffele.
“[I] 100% [wanted that moment],” stated Kim after the matches. “I used to be already considering behind my thoughts, ‘What am I going to do, how am I going to have a good time?’ … It was a tremendous feeling for that to go in as a result of the group was behind they usually have been watching. I wished it greater than something on this planet.”
Rick Gehman and Greg DuCharme recap Saturday’s motion on the 2022 Presidents Cup. Comply with & take heed to The First Minimize on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
The 20-year-old turned the primary golfer born within the 2000s to win a PGA Tour occasion when he received on the Wyndham Championship simply over a month in the past, however his legend has been rising since lengthy earlier than that. His given title isn’t Tom Kim however fairly Joohyung Kim, although he began calling himself Tom as a result of he had a “Thomas the Tank Engine” lunch field as a toddler.
He is a simple participant for which to root. A self-decribed fast food savant, he was voted by his teammates because the participant that eats essentially the most within the group room this week at Quail Hole, after which he proved it by splitting two pairs of pants earlier within the week. He celebrates prefer it’s each the primary time it is ever occurred and the final time he’ll ever have the chance. He’s, in a generally joyless pursuit, an absolute revelation. Nothing is as a lot enjoyable as watching a golfer delight (and thrive) in his first group expertise like Tom Kim has executed.
Whether or not he ever turns into the worldwide celebrity others have predicted stays to be seen, however one factor is for positive after Saturday’s present: If the Cup will get shut late within the day on Sunday when Kim performs Max Homa within the tenth match off in singles, there’s no person else the Worldwide would need on the market. Kim proved that on Saturday. And what? I am undecided there’s anybody else we might fairly watch.
