Tom Kim Korea joins exclusive club that includes Tiger Woods after latest PGA win
Tom Kim Korea becomes the youngest player since Tiger Woods in 1997 to win three times on the PGA Tour when he hosted the Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas.
The 21-year-old finished with a 6-under 66 to win behind Canadian Adam Hadwin at TPC Summerlin, claiming his third win in 44 PGA Tour starts.
At just 21 years, three months and 24 days, Kim became the second youngest person to successfully defend a PGA TOUR title since John McDermott defended the US Open championship in 1912.
Only Gene Sarazen, Horton Smith and Woods won their third title at a younger age.
“It was really stressful,” said Kim, who moved up five places to 11th in the Official World Golf Ranking. “It was probably the most emotional final round I’ve ever experienced, winning.”
When asked what he would do with the top prize of $1.5 million, he said he planned to fly at 6:30 a.m. today instead of flying at night.
“I’m about to eat all the chocolate I want,” he joked.
“I brought it back from a trip to Europe. It’s Ferrero Rocher white chocolate. It is good. Like I saved it, and it’s going to be delicious tonight.
On the Challenge Tour, Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia shot a 5-under 67 to win the Hainan Open title by three strokes over Switzerland’s Joel Girrbach at 16-under with just one tournament remaining.
He has moved up 15 places to take 10th place in the Road to Mallorca rankings ahead of next month’s final round towards the Finals of the Rolex Challenge Tour supported by the R&A, where the top 45 in the rankings Ranking will compete.
The Top 20 in the final standings after the Final will be awarded DP World Tour cards, with Conor Purcell the only Irishman to qualify.
Purcell moved up one place to 36th in the Road to Mallorca rankings as he finished 44th at 3-under in China after a final round 74.
But while Jonathan Caldwell scored 70 to tied for eighth at 10 under, the Clandeboye man finished 58th on the leaderboard and failed to reach the Final.
At PGA Tour Champions, Rod Pampling won the SAS Championship in North Carolina, where Darren Clarke finished with a 7-under 71 to finish eight shots behind the Australian, tied for 15th in points. lower than seven.
Pádraig Harrington is tied for 45th par after a final round of 73 and hopes to do better in the Charl Schwab Cup playoffs, which begin this week at the Dominion Energy Classic in Virginia.
“Hopefully I can get back into the swing of things next week,” the Dubliner, who is ninth in the rankings behind Steve Stricker and 21st Clarke, tweeted.
