Tom Kim was the unfortunate player to miss out on making the BMW Championship by just one spot as the South Korean posted a one over par round of 71 on Sunday at the St Jude Championship.
Heading into the weekend, it appeared that Tom Kim was well placed to secure his spot in the top 50 heading into the final two events of the FedEx Cup play-offs. The 22-year-old was five under par heading into the third round after a 64 on Friday in Memphis.
However, a 73 on Saturday left Kim in a precarious position. Nevertheless, he reached the 16th tee at four under par for the day, and seemingly coasting through to the next stage of the play-offs – while also securing a spot in all of the signature events next year.
But he would finish bogey, double bogey, double bogey to shoot 71 and in a tie for 50th. Kim’s frustration was clear as he damaged the green after one missed putt. Unfortunately for the youngster, that would prove to be the score which would take him outside the number.
Tom Kim reveals what he said to himself before Sunday at St Jude Championship
As shown by Golf Channel, Kim admitted that he is ready for a break, having been well aware that there was a good chance that he would be the one in arguably the worst position of all heading out of the St Jude Championship.
“I was actually cruising, bogey on 16 cost me a lot and then hit a good drive and another really bad, poor missed shot, anywhere left is fine, I missed it right and I knew I needed something special on the last. Hit a good drive, and the wind switched and the wind started to pick up, it didn’t cover,” he said.
“This season has just been like this, I played really good golf and then had some tough finishes. I feel like 2024 has really kicked me in the butt, but I know I’ve gotten so much better, I fought really hard just to give myself the situation. I was 90-something before we went on this run, and it looks like I’m going to miss by one, but it is what it is.
“I told myself before the day that if I didn’t play well, I really felt like I was going to finish 51 and I told myself, if that happens, I’ve done everything I could to be inside the top 50 and hopefully give myself a chance of Tour Championship. But I couldn’t, and I’m going to look forward to a really good off season, because I’m pretty tired.”
Promising signs in frustrating year
There have been promising signs for Kim throughout the year, with the highlight coming when only Scottie Scheffler could deny him victory at the Travelers Championship. But that was one of only two top 10s on the PGA Tour this season.
Kim suffered an agonising finish at the Olympics as he missed out on the medals, but there is absolutely no question that brighter times lie ahead for the starlet.
For many, his performance in the 2022 Presidents Cup was the first time he emerged as a potential superstar, and the next staging of the event is just around the corner – with Kim currently second in qualification for Mike Weir’s International team.
Kim is certainly a player Scottie Scheffler thinks highly of, and it would be no surprise to see him cruising into the Tour Championship in 12 months after a much better year.
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