Renowned South Korean golfer Tom Kim has been under the radar for his slow play. This fact is not unknown to the golfing fraternity. A recent incident at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am has drawn more attention to this issue. Kim took an inordinately long time to prepare for his approach shot, only to have it fall out of bounds, leaving spectators and fellow players aghast.
Notable golf broadcaster Frank Nobilo had a few choice words to share during his broadcast, stating, “It wasn’t worth the wait.” Simultaneously, Michael S Kim playfully tweeted about the incident, “He’s slow. Everyone knows that haha what else is there?” This situation occurred amidst an already heated debate regarding slow play and the increasing calls for immediate action.
Despite the criticism, Kim has shown an understanding and acknowledgment of this issue in his game. He recognizes the problem is reaching a critical stage and has made strides to improve his pace. His efforts are evident in his last two PGA Tour starts, where he made the cut at both events, finishing at an identical T44 at the Phoenix Open and the Genesis Invitational.
Following his game at TGL for the Jupiter Links GC, Kim, the three-time PGA Tour winner, commented on his improved pace of play, stating, “Torrey was a really good week for me. My pace of play got really improved starting from Waste Management. It’s something I’ve been working on.”
Interestingly, Tom Kim’s play has seen a positive impact due to TGL’s shot clock. Kim feels the clock aids him in refocusing and filtering out distractions. He said, “It’s nice. I’m comfortable with the shot clock. I’ve struggled with the pace of play due to some mental issues, but it’s getting a lot better.”
This revelation prompts a question: Should the PGA Tour consider adopting a shot clock? The pace of play has shown some improvement in recent events, but this progress is more due to players’ concerted efforts than any rule changes. The PGA Tour might benefit from instituting rule changes now to avoid reverting to old patterns.
Despite his concerted efforts to improve his pace, Kim’s new-found focus was not enough to secure victory for the Jupiter Links Golf Club. The club faces a tough path to the playoffs. Their fate hinges on the results of other teams. Boston Common Golf needs to triumph over the New York Golf Club, and Jupiter Links must defeat the Atlanta Drive GC for a shot at the playoffs.
In the absence of Tiger Woods, Jupiter Links Golf Club suffered a defeat against the undefeated top team, Bay Golf Club. The decisive 9th hole of the triples sealed their fate, with the San Francisco-based team earning three points, much to the delight of co-owner Andre Iguodala. Despite a valiant effort by Tom Kim and Kevin Kisner in the singles matchup, it was insufficient to turn the tide.
As the PGA tour progresses, all eyes are on Tom Kim as he battles his “mental barrier” and strives to improve his pace of play. Whether these efforts will yield the desired results remains to be seen.
