South Korea's Joohyung "Tom" Kim has written his name into the record books with an extraordinary first victory on the PGA Tour in the Wyndham Championship.
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Kim started the week with a quadruple-bogey eight on his opening hole, but rebounded to shoot 67 and added rounds of 64, 68 and 61 to finish 20 under par at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The 20-year-old - who is the second youngest winner on the PGA Tour since 1932 - made six birdies and an eagle in a front nine of 27 and although a bogey on the 10th halted his momentum, birdies on the 15th and 16th helped seal a five-shot win over compatriot Sungjae Im (68) and American John Huh (67).
Four players in the last 40 seasons - since hole-by-hole tracking began - made a quadruple bogey during a win on the PGA Tour. None had opened the tournament with one.
"I stayed very patient this week," Kim told CBS.
"After that quad, once I started to laugh it off I was in a better mental state.
"Instead of getting angry and depressed I stayed in the moment and I can't believe I won with a quadruple bogey on the first hole. Hopefully that doesn't happen again but it's definitely a week that I will remember forever."
Kim's win means he joins the PGA Tour as a full member and sees him added to the FedEx Cup standings in 34th place.
"I'm really, really happy for Tom," Im, who completed the rain-delayed third round on Sunday morning with a one-shot lead and couldn't keep up with Kim, said.
"He's a great kid and to come out here and to win on tour as a non-member and secure your card is really not an easy task and he achieved that."
Cameron Percy (66) was the best-placed Australian in a tie for eighth at 11 under. Brad Drewitt (71) finished four under and Adam Scott (68) even.
Kim spent his developmental years in Australia and the Philippines. He already had won three times on the Asian Development Tour and once in Korea before making his American debut at age 18 in the 2020 PGA Championship at Harding Park.
As for the name? He was a big fan as a young boy of Thomas the Tank Engine in the TV series "Thomas & Friends."
"You're supposed to let your parents name yourself and I was like, 'Nope, I'm to name myself Thomas,'" Kim added.
"I loved the show as a kid. I haven't watched it or anything, but apparently I really loved the train."
With AP.
Australian Associated Press
