Tom Kim is among the star names fine-tuning their game at the Scottish Open this week ahead of The Open Championship.
The former competition is now underway, with Kim joining the likes of PGA champion Xander Schauffele and defending Scottish Open champion Rory McIlroy in the line-up.
The Renaissance Club in Scotland plays host to the event, with Royal Troon Golf Club then hosting The Open Championship.
Kim certainly has good memories of the current competition, having finished third in 2022 and tied-sixth last time out.
Such form at the co-sanctioned DP World Tour and PGA Tour event has certainly caught the eye of many, with Smylie Kaufman backing Kim to lift the Scottish Open trophy.
Tom Kim makes links golf claim as the Scottish Open starts
But given the star-studded line-up, and perhaps more importantly the elements that could come into play at North Berwick, it won’t be easy.
Kim is, however, relishing the challenge, with the 22-year-old ready to test himself at the Scottish Open and The Open.
“If you want to be as good as you want to be in the world, you have to come out here and adjust,” Kim said in his Scottish Open press conference.
“You can’t just play well in the US. You have to come out here and prove that you can play. I love playing out here and I love playing in the US. I think adjustment-wise, it’s really cool.
“Two years ago, I didn’t really know what to expect because it’s just so new. When the wind is up, you have to be so precise with your landing spots and you have to be so smart. It’s not a parkland where you hit driver as far as you can and hit the ball as close as you can.
“You have to strategize and pick your spots. Those things are so unique, and I think it really tests every aspect of your game. That’s what I love about the next two weeks.”
Can Tom Kim win the Scottish Open after his near misses?
It has been a roller-coaster time for Kim lately, with the youngster having missed the cut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic late last month.
But that came after a superb showing at the Travelers Championship, where Kim narrowly missed out on success after a play-off loss against Scottie Scheffler.
Kim outlined three big changes he has recently made after struggling at the start of the year, with the Korean now sharing his thoughts on exactly where his game is currently at.
Speaking before the Scottish Open got underway, Kim said: “I’m happy with where my game is at. This is where it kind of all started for me.
“I started making a run here in Scotland, and I had a chance last year as well. It’s just good vibes. Excited to get going. This is one of the events that I circle at the start of the year and I know I’m going to play.”
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