Tom Kim a Contemporary Face for Internationals in Presidents Cup

By DOUG FERGUSON, AP Golf Author

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Tom Kim might be excused for his mistake Wednesday. The Presidents Cup is new for the 20-year-old South Korean, identical to it’s for seven different gamers on the Worldwide group that face a frightening activity at Quail Hole.

Solely this was extra a math mistake than a rookie mistake.

“We’re on 12 in the present day, and he makes a mistake doing simple arithmetic there,” mentioned Camilo Villegas of Colombia, one of many assistant captains for the Worldwide group. “So I take a look at the child and mentioned, ‘Tom, is that faculty math?’ He seems at me and goes, ’Dude, I did not even graduate from highschool.'”

Kim ticks about each field in the case of the recent faces at this Presidents Cup, which begins Thursday, solely seems are deceiving.

Political Cartoons

Sure, at age 20 he’s the youngest participant to play for the Worldwide group since Ryo Ishikawa of Japan was 18 in 2009 at Harding Park. Kim additionally has received extra tournaments this yr than anybody on his group. And he brings as a lot persona as he does recreation.

He likes to snigger and speak trash. The group has gamers from seven nations who communicate 4 languages. That is not an issue. Kim speaks three languages.

Captain Trevor Immelman was requested earlier within the week who could be his beginning 5 in the event that they have been enjoying basketball. He had Kim penciled in as his level guard due to his dimension and his “quick mouth.”

Kim’s given title is Joohyung. As a boy, he was so smitten with Thomas the Tank Engine that he needed that for his title, and finally it was shortened to Tom.

Born in South Korea, his household moved to Australia when he was a baby. He picked up golf at age 6 and when the price of dwelling turned too excessive, his mother and father determined to maneuver to the Philippines. Kim’s golf thrived much more.

As for the highschool math? As he mentioned in a first-person account for Golf Digest, “School scouts weren’t coming after me, and my purpose was at all times to show professional, so I made a decision to do it early.” He was 15.

Kim labored his means via developmental excursions in Asia. His path was slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and he spent the final two years on the Korean tour, successful twice.

He ended final yr at No. 131 on the earth, after which rapidly made himself identified. He received the Singapore Worldwide to begin the yr (and was runner-up within the Singapore Open per week later). He acquired a sponsor exemption to the Scottish Open — Korea-based Genesis is the title sponsor — and completed third.

That despatched him on his means towards a PGA Tour card and he nailed that a couple of weeks later by successful the Wyndham Championship, the place he began the match with a quadruple-bogey 8.

There may be little or no boring about Thomas the Tank.

Kim was invited to the Saudi Worldwide in February and shared a desk on the press convention with LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman to speak about Saudi cash going to the Asian Tour. However the child left little doubt the place he at all times needed to play.

He was overjoyed at getting his PGA Tour card, and he is much more amped up in regards to the Presidents Cup, an opportunity handy the mighty American group its first loss since 1998, earlier than Kim was even born.

“I’ve dreamt of this as a child. For me to have the ability to signify the worldwide group is an absolute honor. So I’m tremendous pumped,” he mentioned. “I can’t watch for Thursday to come back. I’ve at all times dreamt of doing loopy fist bumps as a result of it’s match play. So I’m actually wanting ahead to it.”

He will not have to attend lengthy. Kim is enjoying with Ok.H. Lee of South Korea within the third of 5 matches Thursday within the opening session of fourballs. They face two-time main champion Collin Morikawa and big-hitting Cameron Younger, 5 instances a runner-up in his rookie season on the PGA Tour.

The People have all 12 gamers ranked among the many high 25 on the earth, and they’re going for his or her ninth consecutive victory, enjoying earlier than a house crowd at Quail Hole. They’re closely favored.

Kim is amongst 4 South Koreans on the group, a document for a golf nation extra identified for the main champions and No. 1 gamers the ladies have produced. Kim joins Lee, Sungjae Im and Siwoo Kim. Worldwide group assistant Ok.J. Choi couldn’t be prouder.

Choi is intrigued by Kim, describing him with phrases like “very enjoyable” and “cute” and “many speaking.”

“First 15 years, not a lot coming for the youthful gamers, the Koreans. However now greater than seven, 9, 10,” Choi mentioned. “I’m beginning in America 30 years previous, it’s very troublesome English. However youthful man is already in another country and skilled in English. That’s why the extra friendship, snug within the play, all the pieces.”

All that is left is to see the way it translate. Tom Kim is filled with laughter and void of concern. Thomas the Tank is on the quick observe, and the stage has by no means been larger for him.

Extra AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This materials is probably not revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source link