The PGA Tour has acted as a lubricant, igniting friendships that have lasted forever. One such bond is the one that the rising star Tom Kim shares with the World No. 1. Well, it would not be true to say that their bond started on the PGA Tour. But, ever since he turned pro in 2018, and started playing on the Tour in 2019, their bond surely has gotten stronger.

Like many other times, they face each other at the Presidents Cup this week. Scheffler is part of the American team while Kim is playing for the International Team. So tensions are high, and what happened on day 1 certainly hasn’t made things easier.

On Thursday, during the four-ball sessions, the World No. 1 shot a birdie on the 7th hole while playing against Kim, and what the South Korean pro did in turn was seen as blatant disrespect! Tom Kim and Sungjae Im vacated the 8th hole to walk 60 yards away to the 9th tee box before Scottie Scheffler finished putting out. Talking about it, Paul McGinley said, “That’s bordering on bad behavior. That’s disrespectful, in my opinion.”

While a lot of people suspect that their relationship might turn bitter after this, it is almost impossible. Scottie and Tom started as friends, but their bond is now more brother-like. If there is one thing that the two know, that is how to separate their personal and professional relationship. Kim has, on multiple occasions, dubbed Scheffler as his inspiration. And if the history of their relationship indicates anything, it’s that this will soon be nothing but water under the bridge.

Kim and Scheffler have a lot in common

Scottie Scheffler and Tom Kim have rather weird and uncanny commonalities. The pair share the same birthday – June 21 (except for the six-year gap between them). And well, not to forget that they are both late residents of Dallas and are neighbors too. And of course, there’s the case of them both being golf pros. Being together on the field and off it seems to only strengthen their bond.

They have been with each other through thick and thin. Scottie Scheffler took Kim under his wing during the 2022 season and that was when the 22-year-old phenom won all three victories he has had so far on the PGA Tour (Rocket Mortgage Classic, Championship, and Shriners Children’s Open).

Notably, it was last year when their friendship peaked. The World No. 1 had his first son on May 8, 2024. Being neighbors, Tom Kim was a spectator of the entire journey, from the couple being pregnant to now slowly becoming wonderful parents!

Tom Kim celebrated his 21st birthday with Scottie Scheffler

Tom Kim is someone who rarely posts on Instagram. But his love for Scottie Scheffler is so deeply rooted that you are bound to find the World No. 1 on his feed. Last year, when Kim turned 21 and Scheffler turned 27, the duo celebrated their birthday together with muffins. Kim posted a picture from the scene and wrote, “21st birthday and sharing it on the same day with one of my closest friends, big bro, advice giver and most importantly who gives me the hardest time in the world for pretty much almost everything👏🏼 @scottie.scheffler”.

Wishing him a happy birthday, he also added about how while coaching him, Scheffler never fails to give him a hard time and how he’s ever-grateful for it. The pair even went out to have pizzas together.

Like all good friendships, the Scheffler-Kim bond is unsurprisingly not only made up of good moments.

Scottie Scheffler consoles Tom Kim after the Paris Olympics

Winning a medal at the Olympics this year was a rather important goal for Tom Kim to achieve. It would have exempted him from South Korea’s mandatory military service for 18-21 months. However, he finished in the 8th position. Of course, he was heartbroken. On the other hand, Scheffler had an amazing final day boosting him to the top and winning gold. But guess what his first move after winning was? Not celebrating, consoling Kim.

As soon as the final round ended, despite winning, Scottie Scheffler went to him and consoled him, which meant a lot for the 22-year-old. “He had told me something important to him,” said Kim later about the interaction. But the integrity of the friendship means so much to him that he did not reveal what. “I’m grateful for the friendship,” is all he said.

Tom Kim also shares a very close bond with his Scottie Scheffler’s family members as well. Be it with his wife, or his parents. Scheffler’s son too is being taught to call the golfer ‘Uncle Tom’, which is only more evidence of how close their relationship has grown over the years. So yes, they may be rivals now. But they’ll always be brothers!