During his Presidents Cup debut for the International Team in North Carolina two years ago, South Korean youngster Tom Kim emerged as an unlikely star, a bundle of energy who screamed and fist-pumped his way around Quail Hollow Country Club.

Kim, whose Korean birth name is Joo-hyung, was the youngest player for the International Team at age 20. When this year’s Presidents Cup tees off next week in Montreal, Kim will once again be the youngest International Team member.

As the squad of non-European, non-American players prepares to take on the United States in the match-play competition, Kim said Friday he hopes to reprise his role as the designated energizer.

In this Getty Images file photo from Aug. 17, 2024, Tom Kim of South Korea tees off on the seventh hole during the third round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis. (Yonhap)

In this Getty Images file photo from Aug. 17, 2024, Tom Kim of South Korea tees off on the seventh hole during the third round of the FedEx St. Jude Ch
ampionship at TPC Southwind in Memphis. (Yonhap)

“I’m very passionate. I think energy is a big thing, especially as a young guy,” Kim said, in an interview transcript provided by the PGA Tour on Friday. “I’ve shown a lot of emotions out there, and my first Presidents Cup was just so passionate and I wanted to do so much for our team. I’m trying to be a little bit of a small voice for our team as I want my teammates to know I’m playing as hard as I can. When you can have a few fist bumps or a few roars, that I think can definitely get a team going, gives the team a little boost.”

At Quail Hollow, Kim teamed up with fellow South Korean Kim Si-woo for a memorable fourball victory over the American duo of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. On the 18th hole, Tom drained a 10-foot birdie putt to clinch the 1-up victory, and he threw down his hat and let out a primal scream to set off a wild celebration.

“When the emotions come out, it’s from playing within yourself. I had a little bit of a moment in my last
Presidents Cup where the whole team was just watching over you. And my teammates, my captains want me to make that putt, you know, more than me,” Kim said. “I know that emotion because I felt that way for my teammates, and just having that camaraderie environment for literally one week of the year, it’s so special and it brings friendships closer. I think that’s how we bond together.”

Kim called his Presidents Cup debut “a big week” that gave him a ton of confidence. He picked up his second career PGA Tour title right after the match-play event.

In this Getty Images file photo from Sept. 24, 2022, South Korean Tom Kim (L) is congratulated by his International teammate Kim Si-woo after making a birdie putt at the 18th hole to beat Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele of the United States in their fourball match at the Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Yonhap)

In this Getty Images file photo from Sept. 24, 2022, South Korean Tom Kim (L) is congratulated by his International
teammate Kim Si-woo after making a birdie putt at the 18th hole to beat Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele of the United States in their fourball match at the Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Yonhap)

“The experiences that you get out of those team events, because you’re playing for more than yourself, the amount of pressure that goes in your mind … In your heart, there’s so many things going on, and there’s not a single event that brings the same amount of emotions and nerves that come with a team event,” Kim said. “I think if I can have a few more of these under my belt by the time I finish my career, I’d be pretty proud.”

Kim is now a three-time winner who earned one of six automatic spots, based on his world ranking positions at the end of August. He said his game started coming around in the summer and he will try to keep up the momentum for next week.

“I’ve definitely played a lot better this summer, and the game is in a really good spot. All I need to do is to f
igure out the golf course and have a good game plan, and literally execute to what I see,” he said. “Building up to this Presidents Cup, putting will be a big difference. You can hit a lot of good shots, but in match play, momentums are made by making putts. I think just around the greens, I want to be really sharp and kind of have that edge of making one more putt a round would definitely make a difference.”

Kim said he hadn’t expected to be as nervous as he got on the first tee two years ago and added that he hopes his experience will help him this time around, with the pro-International Team crowd behind him at Royal Montreal Golf Club.

“I think going to our home ground, it’s going to be with the crowds, which is going to be great,” Kim said. “They’re going to be very feisty. And I can’t wait to get those Canadian crowds going.”

Kim will be one of four South Koreans at the Presidents Cup, alongside Kim Si-woo, Im Sung-jae and An Byeong-hun. Kim and Im both played in 2022, and An will be playing for the
first time since 2019.

Source: Yonhap News Agency