Tom Kim’s conceded-putt protest provides to Presidents Cup drama

Presidents Cup Saturday is heating up. What two days in the past appeared prefer it was going to be one other American rout has modified drastically during the last 48 hours, because the Internationals have battled again and refused to face down towards the closely favored Individuals.

It’s been enjoyable, too. Tom Kim and Scottie Scheffler added some power to the occasion on Thursday, and a fired-up Kim rallied his workforce on Friday.

And the 22-year-old Kim, who was a key participant and emotional chief for the Internationals in his Presidents Cup debut two years in the past, was again at it on Saturday.

With the Internationals trailing the U.S. 8-6 after the morning session, Tom and companion Si Woo Kim had been 2 down versus Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele via six holes in afternoon foursomes play. Enjoying the par-3 seventh, Tom Kim rolled in a 3-footer to avoid wasting par and tie the outlet, however seems he wasn’t too happy he needed to putt it within the first place.

After he made the putt, Kim plucked his ball out of the outlet after which laid down his putter, the common signal of are you kidding me — you guys made me putt this? Clearly irked, he regarded round, shrugged his shoulders and was nonetheless barking about it as he walked off the inexperienced.

Cantlay and Schauffele, nevertheless, didn’t seem to see Kim, as they’d their backs turned.

“They had been strolling away, however I let you know who wasn’t strolling away, he was on the again of the inexperienced, was Joe LaCava,” mentioned John Wooden, the on-course reporter with that group. “So I feel he’ll preserve that in his pocket simply in case he wants it afterward. You don’t must say something proper now; you retain that in your pocket.”

The putt definitely energized the Worldwide duo. Tom Kim made a putt from about 7 toes to tie the Individuals on the eighth gap, and on the ninth he rolled in a birdie putt from over 30 toes to chop Cantlay and Schauffele’s result in 1 up. On the tenth, Si Woo Kim made birdie from the perimeter to tie the match. You possibly can comply with alongside right here.

Josh Berhow

Golf.com Editor

As GOLF.com’s managing editor, Berhow handles the day-to-day and long-term planning of one of many sport’s most-read information and repair web sites. He spends most of his days writing, modifying, planning and questioning if he’ll ever break 80. Earlier than becoming a member of GOLF.com in 2015, he labored at newspapers in Minnesota and Iowa. A graduate of Minnesota State College in Mankato, Minn., he resides within the Twin Cities along with his spouse and two youngsters. You possibly can attain him at joshua_berhow@golf.com.