Tom Kim holds a trophy after winning the Genesis Scottish Open held in Scotland on July 12.HYUNDAI MOTOR GROUP
Korea's Tom Kim, also known as Kim Joo-hyung, captured the Genesis Scottish Open title on Sunday — a remarkable, tearful return after one of the most difficult stretches of his career.
He demonstrated a flawless play of final-round 6-under 64 to claim his fourth PGA Tour victory held at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland. Kim made six birdies without a bogey and finished at 17 under par, two shots ahead of Australian Korean Min Woo Lee.
Co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour, the Genesis Scottish Open is regarded as one of the strongest near-major fields, featuring many of the world's top players, including Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler.
The victory marked Kim's fourth PGA Tour title at just 24 years old. Yet the journey back to the winner's circle had been anything but straightforward.
After lifting his third trophy in October 2023, he endured nearly two years of setbacks before finally breaking through again.
Once he had submitted his scorecard, Kim wiped away tears.
Tom Kim sheds his tears after confirming his victory at the Genesis Scottish Open on July 12.SCREEN CAPTURE
Ironically, it was the Genesis Scottish Open that first launched his rise on the global stage.
In the fall of 2022, Kim arrived in Scotland on an invitation from title sponsor Hyundai Motor after leaving the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) tour to pursue opportunities overseas. He finished tied for third and earned a place in The Open Championship. He ultimately secured full PGA Tour membership.
His ascent in the U.S. PGA Tour was nothing short of meteoric.
Kim won twice at 20 years and 3 months — faster than Tiger Woods, who claimed his second PGA Tour title at 20 years and 9 months. The PGA Tour and U.S. media drew comparisons to Woods and described Kim as a “next global superstar.”
The early success, however, brought mounting expectations that later unfolded into pressure.
In the final round of the opening PGA Tour playoff event in August 2024, an aggressive attempt to reach the green in two on the 16th hole found a bunker, resulting in a bogey. He then collapsed with consecutive double bogeys over the final two holes.
His FedExCup standings slipped to 51st. He narrowly missed the top 50 cutoff for automatic entry into every Signature Event in 2025.
Tom Kim lines up a putt on the fifth green during the first round of the Charles Schwab Challenge golf tournament at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 28.AP/YONHAP
Throughout 2024, Kim repeatedly fell short against Scheffler at pivotal moments, finishing runner-up at tournaments including the Travelers Championship, the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the Presidents Cup and the Hero World Challenge.
That season, Scheffler was virtually untouchable. His campaign evoked Tiger Woods at the peak.
For Kim, the defeats were especially painful because the two are close friends who share the same birthday and regularly study the Bible together.
Tom Kim reacts after missing a putt on the second hole during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, on June 21.AP/YONHAP
The pressure eventually took a psychological toll.
Kim developed a tendency to freeze over the ball after addressing. Beginning with the Masters Tournament, he failed to qualify for the majors.
At one point, even securing his PGA Tour card for the following season appeared uncertain.
The turning point came during his darkest time.
Late last year, Kim married Lee Seo-yeon, whose steadfast support gave him renewed stability. Raised in remote parts of Mongolia and Indonesia while accompanying her missionary father, Lee became an emotional anchor during the most difficult stretch of his career.
Another breakthrough came in February, when Kim began working with renowned instructor Sean Foley, the former coach of Tiger Woods.
From left: Tom Kim and his wife Lee Seo-yeonJOONGANG ILBO
Foley had long admired Kim's swing, once using it as a model in his teaching. After the two officially teamed up, their relationship quickly developed into one built on mutual trust.
Following Kim's third-place finish at the U.S. Open last month, Foley praised his commitment in a social media post.
“TK [Tom Kim] pours his whole soul into this game,” Foley wrote. “Not being in any of the majors this year, it was really important to Tom to qualify for the US Open. In 20 years, I am not sure if I have ever seen that.”
Kim also produced one of the year's most memorable moments in March when he made a dramatic hole-in-one in simulated indoor golf league TGL to keep his team alive. He celebrated wildly alongside team captain Woods.
Tom Kim plays his shot from the eighth tee during the third round of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 20 in Southampton, New York.GETTY/YONHAP
At the recent Genesis Scottish Open, Kim rediscovered the razor-sharp iron play that once made him one of golf's brightest young stars.
Even while protecting a two-shot lead on the final hole, he boldly attacked a flag tucked tightly beside a greenside bunker. His short game was equally impressive, converting 12 of 13 scrambling opportunities for par, a 92.3 percent success rate.
By winning the tournament that first introduced him to the golfing world, Kim announced his return to the sport's elite. The victory also made him the first Korean player to win an overseas golf tournament hosted by Genesis.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
