South Korea's Tom Kim has become the first golfer since the iconic Tiger Woods to notch two PGA Tour wins before turning 21.
Kim, 20, edged out Patrick Cantlay in a bizarre finish at the Shriners Children's Open in Las Vegas. His victory came just three months after he captured his maiden professional title, the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina.
Kim and Cantlay were level on 24-under par when they reached the 72nd - and final - hope of the tournament on Sunday. But the American then capitulated, with his wayward drive finding a bush and after a penalty drop, he later found the water before carding a triple bogey.
On the contrary, Kim recorded a rock solid par to complete a final round 66 and afterwards, he didn't attempt to hide his delight: "I'm a five-year-old at Disneyland," he told reporters.
"It's really amazing. A few months ago I didn't have any status in the US and now being a two-time winner on Tour, having that place with Tiger, it's an unbelievable feeling for me. It's an honour and definitely a dream come true."
And Kim, six months younger than Woods when he achieved the feat in 1996, insisted there was no secret recipe behind his early success: "I've worked really hard," he added. "My team has worked really hard to this point and I'm just really grateful. I'm having fun playing on the PGA Tour."
Of course, the South Korean protégé still has a considerable way to go to match Woods' full record of 82 PGA Tour titles, a marker only matched by Sam Snead. The golfing legend also has 15 major championships to his name, the first of which came at The Masters just a year after his breakthrough tour victories.
But Kim does at least have major experience under his belt, missing the cut in the US PGA Championship in 2020 and 2022. He was then 23rd in this year's US Open, before tying for 47th at The Open Championship at St Andrews.
While that appearance promises to be the first of many at the 'Home of golf' for the young star, it was last for the man he's just matched. An emotional Woods bowed out to a standing ovation as he walked down the 18th green in Scotland.
