Korean Kim grabs PGA Travelers lead
South Korea’s Tom Kim, playing for his eighth consecutive week, closed with backto-back birdies to grab a two-stroke lead after Thursday’s (Friday in Manila) opening round of the US PGA Travelers Championship.
On the eve of his 22nd birthday, Kim fired a bogey-free eight-underpar 62 with eight birdies at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.
“It was nice,” Kim said. “Played a little windy. Had a few testers coming in to keep the momentum going, some nice putts to go in to finish.”
Kim sank a 14-foot birdie putt at the 17th hole and a seven-footer at 18 to seize a two-stroke edge over Americans Rickie Fowler, Will Zalatoris, Kurt Kitayama and Akshay Bhatia.
It’s the last signature-level event of the PGA season, with a limited field and no cut.
World No. 26 Kim has not missed a tournament since the end of April.
“Age helps. I’m still 21 for today,” Kim said. “I’ve just done a good job of getting mentally ready and physically ready. It’s my eighth week but I feel good.”
Kim, who shared second at last year’s British Open, also made birdie putts from just outside 10 feet at the third and par-3 eighth, from 18 feet at the par-5 sixth, from 16 feet at the 10th and tap-in birdies at 12 and the par-5 13th.
Kim, who shared 26th at last week’s US Open, seeks his fourth PGA title and first since defending his crown at the Shriners Children’s Open last October.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler opened with a 65 after struggling to a share of 41st last week at Pinehurst, where he was a huge favorite after five PGA Tour wins this season, the most so soon in a campaign since 1980.
Scheffler reeled off three birdies in a row starting at the second hole and answered a bogey at the sixth with an eagle putt from just inside eight feet at 13 and birdie at 14.
Others on 65 included PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele and fellow American Tony Finau.