Kim Si-woo finishes second in CJ Cup Byron Nelson as Wyndham Clark surges to victory

MCKINNEY, Texas — Kim Si-woo, one of Korea's most reliable forces in men's professional golf, was denied a fifth PGA Tour victory on Sunday, as Wyndham Clark produced a stunning final-round charge to claim the CJ Cup Byron Nelson title.

The 30-year-old had led going into the last day and continued to play well, carding seven birdies and one bogey for a round of 66 at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas — a par-71 layout of 6.75 kilometers (7,382 yards). But it was not enough. Clark, the 32-year-old American 2023 U.S. Open champion, recorded one eagle and nine birdies to shoot an 11-under 60, overtaking Kim by three shots to finish at 30-under-par 230. Kim finished at 27-under-par 257 in second place.

Playing from Thursday to Sunday, Kim was awarded $1.12 million in prize money. Clark took home $1.85 million. 

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who played alongside Kim in the final pairing, finished third at 25-under-par. Another Korean golfer, Im Sung-jae, finished tied for ninth at 19-under-par.

Kim had made a fast start, wedging to within 2.5 meters (2.7 yards) of the pin on the par-4 second hole to set up a birdie, then following that with three consecutive birdies on the par-5 fifth, the par-4 sixth and the par-3 seventh. 

However, momentum shifted on the par-4 eighth. A 14-meter birdie putt ran well past the hole, and when he missed the par putt as well, he dropped a shot. Trouble continued on the par-5 ninth, during which his second shot found the penalty area beside the green. Kim managed to salvage par with a putt of just over three meters, but the opportunity to extend his lead over Clark — who was one shot back at that stage — slipped away.

The back nine became a straight contest between the two. Clark pulled level at 24-under with a birdie on the par-4 11th, and Kim responded with a birdie on the same hole to move back ahead. But Clark then made an eagle on the par-five 12th to take the outright lead before adding birdies on the par-4 14th and par-3 15th to reach 28-under. Kim clawed one back with a birdie at the 14th, keeping himself in contention.

In the end, however, Clark converted a crucial birdie on the par-3 17th and sealed the win with another birdie on the par-4 18th. Kim, by then three adrift, finished the closing hole with a par.

Kim’s victory drought, dating back to the Sony Open in January 2023, has now stretched beyond three years. No Korean player has won the CJ Cup since the tournament was launched in 2017.

Despite letting a victory slip from his grasp, Kim cut a remarkably composed figure after his runner-up finish. 

“There is nothing I can do against someone shooting 11-under," he told reporters with a smile. “I've never putted this well when I'm in contention. I'm taking that as a positive.”

Kim had long been regarded as a player who struggled with short putts at crucial moments. But this week was different. Key birdie putts dropped regardless of distance, and he converted several important par putts to protect his score. A 1.5-meter par save on the par-3 fourth hole in the final round — after missing the green — was perhaps the clearest illustration of his recent form. He followed that par save with three consecutive birdies.

A key factor has been a change in his putter. Kim recently switched to a harder-faced putter, reverting to the feel he used early in his professional career before switching to a softer face around five years ago. With his putting touch deserting him in recent times, he decided to go back to what he knew.

“Ever since I became a professional, putting has always felt like I had the yips,” he said. “But for the past month or two, that feeling has almost completely gone. I am putting boldly now, without my hands shaking.” 

The recent result adds to what has already been a career-best season for Kim. In 15 tournaments so far, he has finished runner-up twice and recorded seven top-10 finishes. His FedEx Cup points standing heading into this week was ninth.

“Before, I didn't know if I was actually a good player,” he said. “But the people around me, my peers, kept telling me that I was doing well, so I started to change the way in which I think about myself. My confidence has grown a lot; as I go forward, I will continue to believe in myself.”

While gracious about his defeat, Kim made clear his ambitions remain firmly intact. “Today's result is disappointing, but finishing second on the PGA Tour — which is such a fiercely competitive tour — is not easy either,” he said. “I will work on the areas in which I still fall short and make sure that I win again.”

Born in Seoul in June 1995, Kim became a professional golfer at just 17 and was the youngest player ever to qualify through the PGA Tour's qualifying school, the annual multistage tournament that allows golfers to compete for professional playing status and memberships across the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas.

He has four PGA Tour victories to his name, the most notable being the 2017 Players Championship, which he won at 21, making him the youngest champion in the event's history. His other wins came at the 2016 Wyndham Championship, the 2021 American Express and the 2023 Sony Open in Hawaii. He has represented the international team at the Presidents Cup three times in 2017, 2022 and 2024. 

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.

BY KO BONG-JUN. [[email protected]]