Every golfer in the golf world has a fun story to share, and we’re never at a loss for them. For instance, we can’t even count how many amazing stories Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas’s friendship have given us. There’s also Phil Mickelson and his stories which gives everyone a hearty laugh. So, just when you thought you’d heard them all, another tale from the links emerges to entertain and inspire. And Si Woo Kim, a rising star on the PGA Tour, has a story that’s sure to bring a smile to the face of golf fans everywhere.

In the latest YouTube video by Golf’s Subpar, PGA Tour golfer Si Woo Kim recounted his nervous encounter with Dustin Johnson. Kim recalled his debut at Pebble Beach, where he was paired with Johnson for a practice round. It was a moment that still makes Si Woo Kim chuckle to this day. He was just a teenager, trying to make a name for himself on the PGA Tour. And then, suddenly, he found himself face to face with one of the biggest stars in golf: Dustin Johnson.

Kim was trying to focus on his game, preparing to hit his first tee shot during a practice round at Pebble Beach. But as he stood on the tee box, he felt a presence behind him. He turned around, and his eyes widened as he took in the familiar figure of Dustin Johnson. He laughed at the memory, saying, “First time I was debut Pebble Beach and then I’m playing a practice round on the first tee, Dustin Johnson came up right behind me like I’m trying to hit a first tee shot for the practice round, oh Dustin Johnson there, I was shaking.”

At the time, Kim was fairly new to the PGA Tour, having just earned his card at Q School. Hence, I think we can all get an idea of how much of a big deal that encounter with Johnson must have been.

However, Kim’s bold plan to turn pro at a young age had been met with a harsh reality check – due to a technicality, he couldn’t play on the tour until he turned 18. This unexpected delay made the encounter with Johnson all the more intimidating, as Kim was still getting used to rubbing shoulders with the sport’s elite, a far cry from competing against “mid-school, high school guys” just a short time before. “If you go through the Q School, you can’t play until June 28th, now I realize I can’t play if I go through, I was kind of shocked”, he said.

You might be surprised to learn that Dustin Johnson isn’t the only golfer who’s left Si Woo Kim speechless.

Rory McIlroy’s expertise made Si Woo Kim want to ‘quit’ the game

Recently, Si Woo Kim shared his reverence for playing alongside golfing greats like Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, and Scottie Scheffler. For Kim, it’s about learning from the best, not just making friends. As he put it, “I like, love to learn from them and if we play together, I can catch something they do good like a special shot I can watch.” He even joked about feeling daunted by McIlroy’s skills, saying “If 1 on 1, I got to no chance.” Kim recalled his first time playing with McIlroy, feeling awestruck by the Northern Irish star’s game.

Kim’s encounter with McIlroy was particularly unforgettable, especially when McIlroy sank an incredible eagle at Pebble Beach. Kim described the shot as “crazy,” saying “I hit driver and between 4 and 5, I hit the five and straight pole. I don’t know. I feel like it’s hard.” McIlroy’s impressive drive left him with just a 7-iron approach to the green, and he went on to hit a 221-yard shot to 27 feet, sinking the eagle putt and sealing his two-shot victory.

Kim joked that the experience was so humbling that it made him want to quit golf altogether. “I played one time with Rory, like I feel so bad after that. I wanna quit this; I’m so bad,” he said with a laugh. But surely, there may be many golfer who think the same way about Kim. So, are you a Si Woo Kim fan? Let us know in the comment section below!