PGA Tour News: Tom Kim Withdraws From the Players Championship

Right in its first round, the Players Championship witnessed the first withdrawal. The PGA Tour Media Communications tweeted, “Tom Kim WD during the first round of THE PLAYERS Championship due to illness.” Tom Kim, who started off on the back nine at TPC Sawgrass, was through the 17th at the stadium course at the moment of his withdrawal. No further details behind his surprise withdrawal are available at the moment.

Kim kickstarted with a bogey on the par 4 10th. After saving par on the next two holes, the South Korean Pro made another bogey on par 3 13th. On the iconic and notorious 17th, a double bogey waited for Kim. The 21-year-old, who started alongside Nick Tayor and Justin Rose, was 5-over 37 before pulling out. Notably, Tiger Woods too bowed out from the Genesis Invitational, a tournament he hosted due to flu-like symptoms, that were later confirmed as influenza.

The South Korean Pro has already knocked off three career wins since joining the Tour in 2022. Kim recently matched Tiger Woods’s record of defending the same title in a calendar year, after winning the Shriners Children’s Open in October. That also put him ahead of Tiger Woods as the youngest three-time winner on the Tour.

While we await more on his withdrawal, this was the second time in a year that Kim had to withdraw from an event. 

When Tom Kim pulled out because of an ankle injury

Tom Kim was coming to the Wyndham Championship after a vigorous display at the Royal Liverpool Golf Course. However, the T2 at the Open Championship was followed by a disappointing withdrawal from the Sedgefield Country Club. In fact, Kim was suffering from an ankle injury at the Open Championship as well. 

The thought of withdrawal did cross his mind at Liverpool, but he pushed through the pain, altering his swing to ease the pressure from his ankle. The Sedgefield withdrawal hurt more because, a year ago, Kim earned his maiden PGA Tour victory at the 2022 Wyndham Championship. 

Currently, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele are leading the field at the 50th edition of the Players Championship. Setting the back nine on fire early on, the four-time Major winner knocked off eight birdies to card 7-under through 14holes. Schauffele, too, starting from the back nine, has gone bogey-free so far through 15 holes.

Read More: Tom Kim Might Have Joined Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth In Genesis Invitational Exit; Here’s why