A few years ago, it appeared Tom Kim was the sport’s next star, becoming the youngest player to notch three PGA Tour wins since Tiger Woods.
However, the train has stalled a bit.
The 22-year-old Korean has been a top-50 player in the world since July 2022, but hasn’t won since the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open. This season has been particularly disappointing, with one top 10 in 11 starts.
“It’s been interesting,” Kim said Tuesday at TPC Craig Ranch. “There’s moments where I’ve had better starts than I’ve had previous years. And then there’s been moments of uncertainty of ‘where did the game go?’
“And the strong fall last year and four second-place finishes, it was really into that moment of, ‘man, I’m really close to kind of getting over the hump.’ It’s just been a process to find that again.”
As many Tour pros do, Kim made a few tweaks to his swing and has also lost a few pounds, but both have taken some time to get used to.
“I made a few changes in the offseason,” he said, “and it’s been good sometimes, but it’s also been backfiring. I think that's part of the process.
“And I’m trying to stay really, really patient in what I’m doing, not trying to push when it’s hard because there’s an expectation in myself and a belief in myself to perform the way that I know I can. And to not be able to do that personally, it’s frustrating.”
This year, Kim is losing strokes in strokes-gained total, off the green and around the green and putting. Last season, he gained strokes in every category except putting.
Success might not be imminent, but Kim feels he’ll soon fulfill his lofty expectations and put this rough stretch in the rearview.
I think I feel really close,” he said. “It’s just going to take a little bit more time. I’m aware of that. And hopefully I’ll be able to find my form again where I can contend a little more consistently.”
This article was originally published on www.si.com as With Offseason Changes 'Backfiring,' Tom Kim Feels Close to Turning a Corner.
