Five years after an historic win at THE PLAYERS Championship, Korea’s Si Woo Kim feels a sense of deja vu coming back to TPC Sawgrass.
He emerged as the youngest champion at the PGA TOUR’s flagship tournament in 2017 when he stunned an elite field with a three-shot victory and feels his current form can see him contend once again at the US$20 million showpiece this week.
Compatriots Sungjae Im and K.H. Lee will also bid to join THE PLAYERS roll of honour, which includes Korean trailblazer K.J. Choi who was triumphant in 2011 as the first Asian winner of the prestigious tournament.
“At the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week, I made a lot of up-and-downs because the course set up was so difficult. I remember I had many up-and-downs too when I won THE PLAYERS in 2017, so I think what I did last week will help me a lot here. Last week reminds me of my win here, so if I can keep this good feeling and momentum going, I can compete. I like this course a lot,” said Kim, who has posted one top-10 and five top-25s this season to enter the week ranked 35th on the FedExCup standings.
Kim recalls a par save on the 15th hole during the final round of the 2017 PLAYERS Championship which paved the way for his win and said the Pete Dye-designed golf course will test the elite field which includes defending champion Justin Thomas, World No. 1 Jon Rahm, 2019 PLAYERS winner Rory McIlroy and current FedExCup leader Scottie Scheffler, who has won two of his last three tournaments.
“I think a special moment was the shot on 15 when I went over the green. That up and down helped me win. That will be one shot I remember for a long time,” said the 26-year-old Kim, who is a three-time TOUR winner.
Im, the highest ranked Korean in the world at No. 24, hopes to create more PLAYERS memories where he enjoyed a hole-in-one on the 13th in his debut in 2019. He will make his fourth start after finishing tied 17th here last season.
“THE PLAYERS is a huge tournament, like the majors,” said Im. “I feel a little different compared to the regular events. The atmosphere is different and it is very competitive due to the strongest field being here, so it is hard to win this.”
He is fully aware navigating the signature par-3 17th hole, which has an island green at the Stadium Course, will be key if he is to launch a title challenge this week. Last year, countryman Byeong Hun An ran up an 11 after putting four balls in the water.
“It is a very tricky hole. It is very short, but many players put their balls into the water every year. I think par is good enough for me. It’s a short hole but very difficult,” he said.
Making his third appearance at THE PLAYERS, Lee, who won the AT&T Byron Nelson for his first TOUR win last season, said the success of Korean players in the past serves as motivation for him.
“Those accomplishments give me inspiration. I watched K.J. and Si Woo win on TV and I always hope I can also win here in the near future. Every tour event is the same but the reason why we call THE PLAYERS the fifth major is because it’s a huge deal for us. This tournament is like a major. Every time I come to TPC Sawgrass, I want to play my best. It is a huge and very important event,” said Lee.
He has missed just one cut all season but Lee is disappointed he has yet to consistently feature on the leaderboards. “I’ve played well and made cuts. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the best results after the final rounds which is disappointing. I have learnt from those experiences and will try to keep reminding myself that I can do better,” he said.
His wife and daughter have travelled with him to TPC Sawgrass which Lee is happy about and hopes the family will keep him during a pressure-packed week with so much at stake.
“When I go to an event with my family, it is like a holiday, not a tour trip. I came here with my wife, daughter and mother-in-law and it feels like a big family trip. We are very loud and a little messy in the hotel room but that makes me relax and feel comfortable. I like this change,” he said.
