Tom Kim ended a three-year title drought by winning the Genesis Scottish Open after producing a bogey-free final-round 64 at the Renaissance Club. The South Korean golfer finished at 17-under-par, two shots ahead of Min Woo Lee, and also recalled the inspiration he received from Tiger Woods.
The 24-year-old Tom Kim secured one of the most emotional victories of his career after overcoming a prolonged period of poor form and low confidence. Once regarded as one of golf's brightest young talents, Kim claimed his first PGA Tour title at the age of 20 and added two more victories within the following 14 months.
His performances subsequently declined, affecting both his confidence and world ranking. After previously being ranked among the world's top 11 players, Kim had recently fallen outside the top 150.
A third-place finish at the recent U.S. Open helped restore his confidence, and he carried that momentum into the Genesis Scottish Open.
Following the victory, Kim credited Tiger Woods for supporting him during a difficult period in his career. He said being part of Woods' team allowed him to seek advice regularly and that Woods consistently guided him.
Kim also revealed that the first congratulatory message he received after the victory came from Tiger Woods. He said the message reflected that Woods is not only a great golfer but also someone who is genuinely happy about the success of others.
Kim maintained control throughout the final round by carding a bogey-free 64. He made three birdies across the two par-five holes on the front nine before adding further birdies at the 10th and 12th holes to strengthen his position.
Min Woo Lee reduced the gap with a birdie at the 14th hole, but Kim responded at the 16th with a shot from more than 200 yards, which he described as one of the best shots of his career.
Scotland's Bob MacIntyre was unable to defend his title despite home support. He started well but lost ground after a series of mistakes.
MacIntyre later acknowledged that his performance was disappointing, although he said the improvement in his game over recent weeks was encouraging.
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy also finished outside the title race. A disappointing third round left him with too much ground to recover, and although he shot a final-round 64, he finished five shots behind Tom Kim.
By winning the Genesis Scottish Open, Tom Kim earned prize money of approximately £1.2 million. The victory also secured his place in next year's Masters Tournament.
