The PGA Tour’s regular season finale may not carry the same drama as in years past, as the reconfigured autumn schedule now serves as the true last-chance saloon for tour cards. But what’s at stake this week at the Wyndham Championship is arguably more important than ever.
With 144 holes of golf remaining before the playoffs commence, here’s a look at some key players and what these next two weeks – and beyond – could mean to their ambitions and playing status.
Golfers of all stripes can identify with Tom Kim and the execution—or lack thereof—of his opening tee shot Saturday in the third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Everyone gets a little shaky and doesn’t put their best swing on the ball.
The Korea Professional Golfers’ Association (which co-sanctioned the Genesis Championship) issued a warning for Kim’s actions, with Korea’s KoongAng Daily reporting Kim “failed to maintain dignity” after the tournament.
Two of South Korea’s biggest stars went toe-to-toe in their homeland on Sunday. It ended in heartbreak for one and euphoria for the other at the DP World Tour’s Genesis Championship in Incheon.
Two weeks after a rather chippy Presidents Cup, Paul Tesori has come to Tom Kim’s defence regarding allegations that the American players cursed at the 22-year-old Korean during the Presidents Cup. But the veteran caddie also wishes his player had handled the situation differently in the aftermath.
Mark Smith is a member at Royal Montreal, a friend of International captain Mike Weir and someone who was clearly interested in giving the International squad some competitive stakes ahead of the Presidents Cup.
On Monday night, Kim finally responded to backlash, posting an apology of sorts to his Instagram, calling his actions “clearly wrong” and claiming that he didn’t realise the severity of the damage he had done to the green in the moment.
Despite being fully exempt for this year’s Genesis Scottish Open – after a T-6 finish last year and a third-place finish in 2022 – Kim still needed some last-minute help to make the field at the Renaissance Club thanks to an honest, but near-costly, mistake.
Scheffler treats Kim like his little brother, and often gives him a hard time – as siblings do. He genuinely believes Kim will be successful on tour for a long time.