Tom Kim, a 22-year-old rising star in golf, was forced to rely on a last-minute sponsor’s exemption to get into the Genesis Scottish Open field, despite being fully exempt into the event. Kim has already collected three PGA Tour wins in two and a half seasons, finishing last season at 20th in the FedEx Cup standings. This earned him spots in any Tour event he wanted to play this season, where he participated in 20 Tour events in 2024, including a nine-week stretch from early May to the end of June.
Kim’s absence from the Genesis Scottish Open field was puzzling, considering his past success at the event, finishing 6th last year and 3rd in 2022. During his pre-tournament press conference, Kim attributed the mix-up to an accidental missed deadline to officially commit to play the event, blaming it on his team. He clarified that he only found out about it a day before the tournament, stating that it was a mistake on his team’s end and not intentional.
Despite the confusion surrounding his entry into the Genesis Scottish Open, Kim expressed his love for playing in tournaments and denied any intentional delays in committing. He explained that his busy nine-week stretch of competitive golf was an attempt to capitalize on improvements to his game, particularly after the Players Championship. Kim highlighted the benefits he gained from the hectic schedule and mentioned that he would do it again next year if needed.
Having earned his best finish of the year with a runner-up at the Travelers Championship, Kim is set to tee off for Round 1 of the Genesis Scottish Open. The mishap with the missed deadline and last-minute sponsor’s exemption has not deterred Kim’s determination to compete and excel in the tournament. As a young talent in the world of golf, Kim’s journey to the Genesis Scottish Open serves as a reminder of the challenges and uncertainties faced by professional athletes, even those with prior success on the PGA Tour.
