Tom Kim has apologized publicly after breaking a locker-room door after coming up short in a playoff at the DP World Tour's Genesis Championship in South Korea.
Kim found himself in a sudden-death playoff against countryman Byeong-Hun An after both players finished the 72-hole regulation event tied. Then, on the first playoff hole, Kim made a bogey on the par-5 18th, while An made a winning birdie to clinch an emotional victory to end a nine-year winless run.
The playoff loss came after Kim's birdie bid to win the putt in regulation lipped out, and it comes a little over a week after missing the cut in his search for a three-peat at the PGA Tour's event in Las Vegas.
Kim, who was the Korean PGA Tour player of the year in 2021, was distraught after a second playoff loss this year, coming up short in an opportunity to assure himself another year of at least one win in a professional event -- a streak that has run to seven years. Kim took out his anger on a locker door in the clubhouse at host Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon. Photos of the damaged locker spread on social media via the Yonhap News Agency in Korea.
???????????????? #PHOTO — After losing the Genesis Championship in a playoff yesterday, frustrations boiled over for Tim Kim, breaking a locker room door. Kim apologized to the KPGA and has offered to pay for the damage but disciplinary action is also being considered, per @YonhapNews pic.twitter.com/nJvQVQLgX4
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) October 28, 2024
On Monday after the event, Kim took to social media to apologize for the outburst. The message reads:
"Hello everyone,
"There has been a lot of speculation about the incident after my round yesterday at the Genesis Championship in my home country. There has been a lot of false reporting and I wanted to clean things up. It's important that the information comes directly from me, openly and honestly. After the loss I was frustrated, yes absolutely...but I can assure you with absolute truth that I had no intent of damaging any part of the locker not a single bit.
"I address it with the DP World Tour an the KPGA right after the incient saying that the door came off. We had to full pull it out due to safety reasons, I also let them know that I was willing to pay all expenses for the damage.
"There has also been speculation about discplinary action. I spoke to the Tour immediately after the incident. After my apology and offer to pay damages the matter was considered closed.
"I am grateful to everyone that's reached out with messages of support, but to them and everyone else I may have let down, I apologize with all my heart.
"Love, Tom"
The Korean PGA Tour, which co-sanctioned the event with the DP World Tour, will pay Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea for the locker damage and ask Kim to repay those costs. Kim could also face disciplinary action.
The Korean PGA Tour has issued harsh suspensions in the past for what they see as conduct unbecoming of a professional, including suspending Bio Kim for three years after he flipped off fans who interrupted his swing as he went for a win at an event in 2019. That suspension was eventually reduced to a year.
