Rocket Mortgage Classic: Tom Kim displays on shut name, now favourite

Tom Kim got here inches away from claiming the most important victory of his younger profession on the Travelers Championship final week. But a couple of errors finally saved him from topping Scottie Scheffler.

Now, Kim is in Michigan for the Rocket Mortgage Classic, the place odds-makers have him because the betting favourite. He can be the highest-ranked participant on this week’s full-field occasion, as he presently ranks sixteenth within the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR).

“Scottie and I each beat the sector by two, which is, I believe, actually laborious to do at this degree, contemplating the depth of subject,” Kim assessed.

“Playing for a trophy with considered one of my closest associates—it’s by no means occurred for me earlier than—so to share that have with him was actually cool.”

Despite the unimaginable expertise, which included loads of theatrics, from Kim’s dazzling strategy to protestors interrupting the ultimate gap, the 22-year-old nonetheless fell brief. Yet, he remained upbeat concerning the expertise as he shifts his focus to this week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic, which can mark his ninth consecutive match.

Photo by Keyur Khamar/PGA Tour by way of Getty Images

“Victories are a lot enjoyable, that’s why you play golf, to carry up some trophies, however if you play rather well, and also you end second to the top-ranked golfer on the earth, however as a lot as golf I play with him and as shut as I’m with him, he’s nonetheless actually, actually good,” Kim added.

“For me to have the ability to lengthen it to a playoff and to expertise that depth of subject of enjoying my greatest golf and to see that, man, like, I performed rather well. I had 24 birdies and two bogeys, and the 2 bogeys got here from two three-putts. Man, if I may save a kind of pictures, I’d win the golf match by one.”

Indeed, Kim made a large number of issues on the 4th inexperienced throughout Saturday’s third spherical and on the par-3 eighth throughout Sunday’s last spherical. On the 4th, Kim caught his strategy to 11 toes and made an agonizing bogey. Then, Kim three-whacked from 23 toes the next day, trying extra like an beginner than a high participant vying for a Signature Event title.

“I really feel there’s a lot extra to achieve when you have got weeks like that,” Kim added.

“It’s a constructive week, however you at all times take a look at it as ‘Okay, how can I do higher?’ You feed off a lot and I believe that’s how you retain including up good weeks and including up your successes and results in profitable massive golf tournaments.”

Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Every shot and each putt counts over the course of 72 holes, even on a course as benign as TPC River Highlands. Even earlier than final week’s match, Scheffler talked about how enjoying a better course is typically more difficult as a result of you need to make so many birdies. That additionally means you could keep away from making probably the most trivial errors, like three-putting.

Players will abide by the identical mantra at this week’s Rocket Mortgage Challenge, the place the profitable rating has been 23-under-par or decrease in 4 of the previous 5 years.

Kim can go low. He confirmed that final week in Connecticut. He additionally confirmed how he can go toe-to-toe with one of the best participant on the earth and make a birdie when wanted. But these two minor errors over the weekend saved him at bay. Scheffler, in the meantime, didn’t put up a single bogey on Sunday. He ranks first on the PGA Tour in bogey avoidance and tends to bounce again fantastically after making a mistake.

He hardly ever makes a blunder, which helps clarify why he has performed unimaginable golf all season lengthy. So, hopefully, Kim can take that play out of his greatest buddy’s playbook: to not get too aggressive and keep away from errors in any respect prices—as a result of if he can do this, Kim, as the favourite this week, can win in Detroit, simply as Scheffler has triumphed as the favourite so many occasions earlier than.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be certain to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You can observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.