Tom Kim

Tom Kim Bio

Kim Joo-hyung, widely known as Tom Kim, is a South Korean professional golfer born on 21 June 2002 in Seoul, South Korea. Standing six feet tall, he turned professional in May 2018 and quickly established himself across multiple international tours. Kim has built a reputation as one of the most exciting young players in the sport, combining aggressive shot-making with a calm temperament under pressure. His rise through the Asian and PGA Tour ranks has drawn comparisons to some of the game’s biggest names.

Early Life and Background

Tom Kim was born in Seoul and grew up immersed in the sport of golf. His father, Kim Chang-ik, is a former Buy.com Tour player who later became a teaching professional, giving young Kim an early and thorough grounding in the game. Because of his father’s coaching career, the family spent extended periods living in Australia, the Philippines, and Thailand, exposing Tom to a wide variety of courses and playing conditions from a young age.

This international upbringing shaped Kim’s adaptable game and comfort with travel. By 2018, his amateur career was peaking. He captured the Philippine Amateur Open Championship and the W Express RVF Cup Amateur Championship, results that confirmed his readiness to compete as a professional. These formative years spent competing across Asia laid the foundation for his smooth transition into paid ranks.

Path to Professional Golf

Kim turned professional in May 2018 and began competing on the Philippine Golf Tour, an unconventional but effective starting point that allowed him to accumulate experience quickly. In 2019, he shifted his focus to the Asian Development Tour, where his game matured rapidly. He posted two fourth-place finishes in Malaysia and two runner-up results in Thailand before claiming his first professional title at the PGM ADT Championship, winning by an emphatic six strokes.

Momentum followed quickly. Kim added the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament title in Indonesia after a playoff and the Raya Pakistan Open by nine shots. Later in 2019, he won the Panasonic Open India at just 17 years and 149 days old, becoming the second youngest professional to win on the Asian Tour. By the end of that season he had earned automatic promotion to the main Asian Tour and announced himself as a genuine star in the making.

Tom Kim Career

Early Career (2018–2020)

Kim’s first two professional years were spent sharpening his game on the Philippine, Asian Development, and Asian Tours. He won multiple times across these circuits and gained valuable experience competing in varied climates and course setups. The shortened 54-hole Panasonic Open India victory, played through heavy smog, demonstrated both his resilience and his ability to perform in adverse conditions.

In early 2020, Kim tied for fourth at the SMBC Singapore Open, a finish that secured him an entry into the 2020 Open Championship and his first major championship appearance. The pandemic-affected season limited his schedule, but he continued to build a foundation of consistent play and tournament confidence that would soon translate to the biggest stages.

Asian Tour Breakthrough (2021–2022)

Kim’s star rose sharply across the 2020–21–22 Asian Tour seasons. In January 2022, he captured the Singapore International with a playoff victory over Rattanon Wannasrichan, then finished as runner-up at the SMBC Singapore Open the following week. Those results made him the leading money winner across the 2020–21–22 Asian Tour season, cementing his status as the circuit’s top performer during that span.

In July 2022, he posted a solo-third finish at the Genesis Scottish Open, a co-sanctioned event between the PGA Tour and the European Tour. He earned his entry through the Korea Professional Golfers’ Association and continued to build momentum heading into the heart of the PGA Tour season.

PGA Tour Breakthrough (2022)

Kim secured his PGA Tour card for the 2022–23 season with a seventh-place finish at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. The very next week, he delivered one of the most remarkable performances of his career, shooting a final-round 61 to win the Wyndham Championship despite opening the tournament with a quadruple-bogey 8. That victory booked his place in the 2022 FedEx Cup Playoffs and announced his arrival on American soil.

Later that year, Kim won the Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas, becoming the second youngest two-time PGA Tour winner behind Ralph Guldahl and the first player to win twice on tour before turning 21 since Tiger Woods in 1996. He also represented the International team at the 2022 Presidents Cup, winning two of his five matches and earning widespread praise for his bold, entertaining style of play.

Continued PGA Tour Success (2023–2024)

In October 2023, Kim successfully defended his title at the Shriners Children’s Open, joining Byron Nelson as the only golfers to win the same PGA Tour event twice in the same season. He also posted a T2 finish at the 2023 Open Championship and a T16 at the 2023 Masters Tournament, demonstrating his comfort across all four major championships.

Major Championship Form (2024–2026)

Kim continued to build his major championship record with a T26 at the 2024 PGA Championship and a third-place finish at the 2026 U.S. Open, the latter marking his best result in a major to date. By 15 October 2023 he had reached a career-high world ranking of 11th.

Driving Style and Strengths

Kim is known for his aggressive ball-striking and fearless approach, particularly on par 5s where he routinely takes on challenging pin positions. His short game and clutch putting have delivered several tournament-winning moments, including back-to-back titles at the Shriners Children’s Open. He combines a calm, mature demeanor with the energy of a player who clearly enjoys competing at the highest level.

Notable Events and Milestones

Among his signature moments are the 2022 Wyndham Championship comeback from a quadruple-bogey, the back-to-back Shriners Children’s Open victories, and his starring role at the 2022 Presidents Cup. His rise from the Asian Development Tour to the upper echelons of the PGA Tour has been one of the game’s most compelling storylines of the early 2020s.

Tom Kim Career Wins

Across his professional career, Tom Kim has amassed 12 verified wins spanning the PGA Tour, Asian Tour, Asian Development Tour, Korean Tour, and Philippine Golf Tour. His three PGA Tour titles all came within a twelve-month stretch, a remarkable feat that underscores his rapid rise among the game’s elite competitors.

PGA Tour Highlights

Kim has won three times on the PGA Tour, with his breakthrough coming at the 2022 Wyndham Championship, where he fired a final-round 61. He followed that with victories at the 2022 and 2023 Shriners Children’s Open, the latter making him just the second player, alongside Byron Nelson, to win the same event twice in a single season. His most recent PGA Tour triumph was the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open defense.

Other Wins and Performances

Beyond the PGA Tour, Kim has collected two Asian Tour wins, including the 2022 Singapore International, and two Korean Tour wins that contributed to his 2021 Korean Tour Order of Merit title and Player of the Year honors. He also earned the Asian Tour Order of Merit across the 2020, 2021, and 2022 seasons, an unusual three-year run that reflected sustained excellence on the circuit.

Tom Kim Family

Family Background and Golf Lineage

Tom Kim is the son of Kim Chang-ik, a former Buy.com Tour player who later transitioned into a career as a teaching professional. His father’s professional background provided Tom with direct access to high-level coaching and a deep understanding of tournament golf from childhood. The family’s overseas stints in Australia, the Philippines, and Thailand further reinforced the golf-centered environment in which Tom developed his game.

Personal Life

Kim’s widely used nickname, Tom, comes from the classic children’s character Thomas the Tank Engine, a lighthearted detail that has become a familiar part of his public persona. Beyond his golf career, Kim is known for his mature, friendly presence in press settings and his willingness to engage fans.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 PGA Tour season represents another important chapter in Tom Kim’s young career as he continues to refine his game and chase a first major championship title. With three PGA Tour wins already in hand and a career-high world ranking of 11th achieved in October 2023, Kim enters the year as one of the most consistent performers in his age group. His track record of strong major finishes, including a T2 at the 2023 Open Championship and a third place at the 2026 U.S. Open, suggests he is close to breaking through at the very highest level.

Off the course, Kim continues to be a prominent ambassador for golf in South Korea, helping to grow the sport’s visibility across Asia. His combination of marketable personality, polished swing mechanics, and proven ability to win under pressure makes him a central figure in the PGA Tour’s international identity.

Looking ahead, the priorities for Kim are clear: contend consistently in majors, add to his PGA Tour win total, and eventually capture a first major championship. With his game trending upward and his experience now substantial, the 2025 season offers a meaningful opportunity for him to take the next step toward elite status in world golf.