Tom Kim was in tears after winning the Scottish Open at Renaissance, and his emotions deepened when he received a heartfelt text from his hero, Tiger Woods. The 24-year-old South Korean produced a flawless final-round 64 to beat 2021 champion Min Woo Lee by two shots, securing his first victory in three years.
Tiger Woods' Immediate Message
Kim revealed that the 15-time major champion was the first to congratulate him. “This was my first win in three years and the first person that texted me was Tiger Woods. Shows you the person he is and how much he cares,” Kim said. He has been able to seek counsel from Woods while playing on TGL, Woods' team. “Obviously on TGL, being on Tiger’s team, I’ve been able to ask him questions on certain things. He’s been really helpful a lot of the time,” Kim added.
Learning from the Best
Kim has also looked up to other top players like Scottie Scheffler. “Those people that have achieved so much, not a specific person. I think Scottie [Scheffler] has been such a great role model for a lot of people. Just listening to their interviews, seeing how they talk and, when I ask them advice, they have been really nice,” he said. Kim has leaned on the best in the world, even listening to their interviews on YouTube to blend their insights into his own game.
Overcoming Tough Times
Kim burst onto the scene with three PGA Tour wins by the end of 2023, but then faced a slump where he “got a taste of humble pie.” However, he bounced back with a third-place finish at last month’s US Open, followed by his Scottish Open victory. “This tournament I’ve really always wanted to win. This is where it all started for me. It got me almost temporary status and I secured it next week at the British and I went on to play two times that year and played in The Presidents Cup,” he explained.
Emotional Victory
Kim admitted the win was surreal. “I’ve had some heartbreaks here. I finished third. I played in the final group when Rory [McIlroy] won. I’ve been close here a couple times. To be able to finish it off is really cool for me. It’s really hard to put into words. If it wasn’t for all this media, all the photos, I would probably go in my room and cry for a couple hours. It’s surreal,” he said.
Reflecting on his journey, Kim added: “I just remember how I felt a lot of the times when I wasn’t playing well and it was difficult. Golf is a very up-and-down sport. That’s something I’ve learned. I’m definitely appreciating this more now than I did a couple years ago. I thought about my family, all the people that have suffered with me and also celebrated with me and kind of remembering all those people really brought tears to my eyes.”
Celebration and Scottish Fans
True to his earlier comments about loving Scottish water, Kim joked about his post-win plans: “I still don’t drink alcohol, so probably it’s going to be a good water night for me. It’s going to take a few cans.” Despite the crowd supporting local hero Bob MacIntyre, Kim felt the appreciation. “Rob has just done such an amazing job in his career. He’s one of the best players in the world. He’s always a good laugh. I’ve always enjoyed playing with him, spending time with him. I can definitely see the Scottish fans behind him which is really cool for me to see, at least because I’m a foreigner like everybody else. Scottish fans wanted Rob to win today, but I can still feel the love. The Scottish fans are some of the best fans in the world. It’s Home of Golf, so to be able to win a trophy here, it’s awesome for me.”
