Tom Kim reflects on PGA Tour’s format; details ‘good’ and ‘bad’ golf after heartbreaking FedExCup exit
Tom Kim successfully defended his Shriners Children’s Open trophy last year and is attempting a rare three-peat this weekend in Las Vegas. Ahead of the competition, the 22-year-old has come out to state that he’s been working harder to meet criteria set by the PGA Tour’s “whole new schedule.”
Kim turned several heads in the summer when he competed in nine straight events without a break. The South Korean golfer traveled from one event to another, starting from the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in early February to the RBC Heritage outing in late April.
Despite the efforts, he failed to make it past the BMW Championship and missed the FedExCup top 50 by one spot. Now, the golfer has claimed he’d no options but to play them.
Reflecting on the PGA Tour’s current schedule and playoffs format, Kim stated that the “difference between being 50 and 51st is a big difference.” The golfer recalled sitting in the ‘higher 90s’ of the FedExCup playoffs before starting that nine-week stretch.
Tom Kim said at the TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas, as quoted by ASAP Sports:
“I just didn't have a choice with the whole new schedule now. The difference between being 50 and 51st is a big difference. I was I think 96th, higher 90s before I started that nine-week stretch, so I had to.”
Kim dubbed the current format a “good product” that rewards ‘good golf.’ However, he added that players are forced to “pick your butt up once the Playoff starts” if they have been playing badly under the format. He reiterated that the continuous events schedule was tough but it ‘had to be done.’
The three-time PGA Tour winner added:
“I think it's such a good product now that good golf gets rewarded. Good golf you're able to take three, four months off and not worry about anything. Bad golf you got to pick your butt up once the Playoff starts and try to play well in the fall.”
Tom Kim on crashing out of the FedExCup playoffs
Tom Kim had a heartbreaking exit from the FedExCup playoffs after the BMW Championship. Despite having a strong run of events, the South Korean golfer failed to make the top 50 by one spot. He watched as Eric Cole took the final spot on the 50-player field.
Kim stated that it “sucks to finish 51st.” However, the golfer also recalled his climb from 96th on the table to settle for 51 and admitted he “couldn't do anything better.”
Tom Kim added in the same presser on Tuesday, as quoted by ASAP Sports:
“I played as much as I could have and prepared as much as I could have. I actually played really well and I felt like from -- I made nine, ten changes before I started that nine-week stretch. So, making changes and playing nine weeks in a row was really difficult. I felt like I put my head down and got to work… It sucks to finish 51st, but from about I was before that, I couldn't do anything better.”
It is pertinent to note that Tom Kim, who turned pro in 2018, finished his 2024 season with a T50 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He ended the season without a win after losing out to Scottie Scheffler in a playoff at the 2024 Travelers Championship.