By Rahul Banerji
Panasonic Open India winner Joohyung Kim announced his arrival on the world stage with a smashing victory in the Wyndham Championship on Sunday.
The Korea star, who outgunned the vastly-experienced Shiv Kapur at the Classic Golf Resort in 2019, recorded an emphatic five-stroke victory at Sedgefield Country Club.
The Asian Tour’s reigning Order of Merit champion had a final round of 9-under 61 and a 20-under tournament total, five up on fellow-Korean Sungjae Im and John Huh of the US.
Anirban Lahiri, also in the mix at Greensboro, settled for a share of eighth place on 11-under 269 (66-67-68-68) that saw him climb eight places in the FedEx Cup rankings.
“I can’t believe it,” said Kim later. “I didn’t know golf was this stressful.”
Full membership
Kim fired rounds of 67, 64, 68 and 61 to become a full-time member of the PGA Tour, which makes him eligible to compete in the season-ending FedExCup play-offs.
At age 20 years, 1 month and 17 days, Kim became the second-youngest winner since Jordan Spieth at the 2013 John Deere Classic and the first born in the 2000s to win on the PGA Tour.
Starting on Thursday with a quadruple bogey Kim is the first player since 1983 to make a quadruple or worse on the first hole and go on to win.
“It’s crazy,” said Kim. “I mean, I’ve never won a golf tournament starting with a quad and here we are.
“I played great this week. It was hard to stay in the moment in the final round just knowing that I was so close, but I never let my guard down until I holed that putt on 18.”
Kim returned early Sunday to complete the remaining eight holes of the weather-disrupted third round with a 68 and trailed third round leader, Im by two.
Nicknamed Tom after Thomas the Tank Engine, due to his liking of the locomotive character from a British children’s book series, Kim charged out like a train in the final round.
Taking control
He shot six birdies and an eagle for an outward 27 to take control of the tournament which was the final event of the Regular Season.
With his putter on target – ranking first in Strokes Gained: Putting and had gained 12.5 strokes over the field – Kim had a minor hiccup before easing home to a winner’s cheque of $1.3 million.
He will rise to 21st on the Official World Golf Ranking and has improved his credentials for a spot in the International Team for the Presidents Cup against the US at Quail Hollow next month.
“It’s been a hectic month and a lot of things have changed, for sure,” said Kim, who was playing in his fifth successive week.
“Like I’ve expected so much of myself and so does my team, we expect the highest. And it hasn’t been the easiest.
“It might look easy for a lot of people, but it’s a lot of work behind the scenes just from the manager doing so much beyond for me and my family who put in sacrifices,” added Kim.
The young Korean star has nine previous professional wins achieved in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Pakistan and Korea besides India.
“This is just a start for me and I still have so much I want to accomplish and this is just – I bought the car, we bought the car, we just need to drive it, so hopefully I keep pushing that pedal.”
Emotional farewell
The 2022 Wyndham Championship was also the final hurrah for former great and long time TV commentator Nick Faldo and the Englishman was given a fond farewell by colleagues in the box.
Sir Nick announced his retirement from the CBS golf team some months ago and Sunday was his last stint – and an emotional one – in front of the camera for now.
Also read: Im shares lead at Wyndham C’ship; Kim, Lahiri stay in title hunt
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