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GREENSBORO, N.C. — Joohyung “Tom” Kim started the Wyndham Championship with a quadruple bogey on his first gap and wasn’t in the slightest degree bothered. The child appears to be going locations in a rush.
Already assured a PGA Tour card for subsequent season, Kim overcame his tough begin with a 6-under 64 on Friday that gave him a share of the lead with Brandon Wu and Ryan Moore within the ultimate PGA Tour occasion of the common season.
Kim, a 20-year-old South Korean, has to win at Sedgefield Nation Membership to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs as a result of he is not going to be thought of a PGA Tour member till September when the brand new season begins. Solely a victory provides him immediate membership.
He would not really feel additional stress to get it carried out. Contemplating the place he was a month in the past, Kim is blissful to be the place he’s.
Kim — he goes by “Tom” due to his fascination as a child with Thomas the Tank Engine within the TV sequence “Thomas & Mates” — completed third within the Scottish Open, made the reduce in The Open and the 3M Open, after which completed seventh final week within the Rocket Mortgage Traditional.
That gave him sufficient factors to be assured of a card subsequent 12 months. And as he has proven in two days, it takes lots to cease this prepare.
He took eight photographs for his first gap on Thursday. Since then, Kim has made 14 birdies and reached 9-under 131 together with Wu (67) and Moore (67).
“Should you would have informed me after the primary gap yesterday the place I might be after two days, I undoubtedly would have taken it, so fairly blissful,” Kim mentioned.
“It is only one unhealthy gap,” he mentioned. “Informed myself, ‘You understand what? I’ve obtained loads of holes to deliver it again if I simply play nicely on my subsequent 35 holes.’ And that is precisely what I did. I performed higher than I believed I used to be going to, so it is a bonus.”
John Huh, who opened with a 61, had a 71 and was 1 shot behind together with Russell Henley (65) and Sungjae Im (67).
A storm late within the afternoon led to a delay that stored the second spherical from ending till Saturday morning, and there will probably be penalties.
Chris Gotterup wanted a par on the 18th gap for the reduce to be 2-under 138. However he went right into a bunker, blasted lengthy and confronted a 4-foot bogey putt when he returned within the morning. He’ll end no higher than 1 beneath, which might let as many as 23 gamers into the weekend.
Austin Smotherman, nevertheless, was 1 beneath and had a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 8, his seventeenth gap. Smotherman is the equal of No. 125 within the FedEx Cup, and has to make the reduce to maintain alive his hopes of moving into the postseason.
Moore wants a giant weekend, too. Coming off a continual again harm, nothing wanting a solo second will probably be sufficient for Moore to regain his full card for subsequent season.
He is not excited about that as a lot as taking day off to relaxation and get his again in form. He mentioned there may be deterioration the place the rib joint meets the backbone, and swinging a golf membership is not essentially one of the best remedy. However he can see the end line, and an amazing outcome this week would assist together with his standing and confidence going ahead.
As for the highest 125 who qualify for the postseason?
“I am to this point out of it, it would not even matter at this level,” he mentioned. “I have been coping with this harm for some time. I do know what’s flawed now. I simply want time to take care of it. So proper now it is simply looking for just a little type, just a little confidence to spring me into this fall.”
Rickie Fowler is getting day off he would not need. He had three straight bogeys early in his second spherical and rallied for a 69. That left him at even par for the event to overlook the reduce. Fowler is the equal of No. 123 and most definitely would fall out of the highest 125, lacking the postseason for the second straight 12 months.
Brian Stuard began at No. 137 within the FedEx Cup and adopted his opening 65 with a 68, 2 photographs off the lead. A robust weekend would permit him to get into the highest 125.
DIVOTS: Jason Day withdrew due to an sickness. He had opened with a 67. … Former Masters champion Danny Willett was headed for a missed reduce and can end out of the highest 125. … Gamers who’ve joined Saudi-backed LIV Golf and have been suspended is not going to rely towards the ultimate 125 within the FedEx Cup.
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