LAS VEGAS — Tom Kim now has one thing in widespread with Byron Nelson as the one gamers to have gained the identical PGA Tour occasion twice in the identical season.
Kim efficiently defended his title Sunday within the Shriners Youngsters’s Open when he closed with a 5-under 66 to emerge from a pack of a dozen gamers who had an opportunity within the last hour. Kim wound up successful by one shot over Adam Hadwin, who birded the ultimate gap for a 67.
Kim now has three PGA Tour titles within the final 15 months, at 21 the youngest participant since Tiger Woods in 1997 to have three tour wins.
“I actually felt assured in myself,” Kim stated. “I knew that if I did me I used to be going to have the ability to do it. I am stoked to get this one.”
He gained in Las Vegas a 12 months in the past, beating Patrick Cantlay in a playoff on the TPC Summerlin, when the Shiners Youngsters’s Open was early within the season. Now, the Las Vegas occasion remains to be a part of the identical season as a result of the PGA Tour goes to a calendar season beginning in 2024.
Nelson gained the San Francisco Open in January 1944, and the identical event in December of 1944, each occasions at Harding Park.
This one was up for grabs till Kim seized management on the par-5 sixteenth.
With an hour left within the event, there was a six-way tie for the lead and 12 gamers had been separated by a single shot. The important thing stretch on the TPC Summerlin was holes No. 13 via No. 16, which ranked as 4 of the 5 best holes within the last spherical.
Taylor Pendrith was tied for the lead with a birdie on the thirteenth, however needed to accept pars the remainder of that stretch. Okay.H. Lee made all pars.
Then, it grew to become a two-man race between Kim and Hadwin, taking part in within the last group with Kim holding a one-shot benefit.
Each birdied the thirteenth, Hadwin with a 35-foot birdie putt that rimmed all the way in which across the cup earlier than dropping. Each birdied the reachable par-4 fifteenth, Kim with a troublesome up-and-down and birdie putt from 12 toes, Hadwin narrowly lacking a 25-foot eagle try.
It turned on the par-5 sixteenth. Kim hit to the fats of the inexperienced in two, 50 toes away for eagle. Hadwin knew he missed his shot proper after contact and it got here up nicely brief and into the water. Hadwin missed a 6-foot par putt after his penalty drop, and Kim three-putted – he needed to make a 5-footer on his third one – for par.
“I fully whiffed it, up and out of it, and sadly one among my worst swings of the day at least opportune time,” Hadwin stated.
“I really feel such as you dump it within the water there on 16, and I actually on no account gave the event, however I might have appreciated to have hit a extra high quality golf shot and put a bit of bit extra stress on Tom coming down the stretch.”
That gave Kim a two-shot lead with two to play, and he closed with strong pars. Kim completed at 20-under 264.
Eric Cole boosted his bid to be PGA Tour rookie of the 12 months by closing with a 62 to complete two behind, together with Alex Noren (65), J.T. Poston (66) and Pendrith (67). Pendrith got here into Las Vegas at No. 123 within the FedEx Cup and was projected to maneuver to No. 90, all however assuring a full card for 2024.
Ludvig Aberg, who made his Ryder Cup debut two weeks in the past, additionally shot 62 and tied for thirteenth.
Kim, born in South Korea and raised primarily in Australia, gained for the primary time in 2023. He had a scorching run final summer time that included victories within the Wyndham Championship and in Las Vegas, adopted by a dynamic debut within the Presidents Cup.
However he stated he felt the stress to reside as much as the expectations, and it turned this 12 months right into a grind. He was a distant runner-up within the British Open, although he injured his ankle throughout the week that saved him from defending his title within the Wyndham Championship.
“It has been a grind attempting to determine it out,” Kim stated. “My first full season, attempting to reside as much as expectations of an awesome 12 months. It has been humbling generally.”
The victory strikes Kim to No. 11 on this planet rating.
Isaiah Salinda, who acquired into Las Vegas as a Monday qualifier, had a 63-67 weekend and tied for seventh, which will get him into the following full PGA Tour occasion Nov. 2-5 in Mexico.
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