Michael Kim opened the 2025 John Deere Classic with a strong round, reflecting on his record-setting win in 2018 and the motivation that came when Davis Thompson broke that record last year. Known for his witty and honest presence on X (formerly Twitter), Kim shares why he leaned into social media during a down period in his career, how he handles online negativity, and why he feels like a more complete player now. He also reacts to Max Homa’s recent comments about social media and talks about the conditions at TPC Deere Run.
um anything would it be particularly special to uh to do something here again after uh where you’ve been and and now that you’re back and
um yeah, I mean um just I’m just glad I got to a really nice start. Um, I don’t know exactly what I shot um in 2018, but um I hope I don’t need to shoot 27 under, but uh uh but obviously uh very happy and satisfied with the with the first round today.
That said, you uh you know, when Davis beat your record last year, you mentioned it on social media that that you kind of were happy for him, but that light fired you. Hey, I got to come back and uh and kind of show my how to play this course, too, right? Yeah, I guess so. I I tell him and his caddy Joe that I won by five and I don’t think he won I think he won by I don’t know maybe three or seven.
You won by eight,
huh? Oh, I won by eight. Sorry. So, um
but it was only Franchesco Mullin. So, um yeah. Um hopefully I can just keep it going.
What’s been working for you um this year and you know the last couple years? You really seem to have found something again.
Um yeah, I just feel like my swing is in a much better place. Um, today I hit it hit it great. I I had kind of everything going today. So, um, you know, hopefully I can keep going. Mike, it’s an interesting dichotomy between you and and and Max. Max was kind of a Twitter king for a real long time and now he I don’t know if you heard what he said la yesterday, but he’s not much of a fan of it and yet you you really use it to your advantage. Um, any reaction to his comments? Um, I mean, um, he has a much bigger following than I do. Um, so that means, um, he gets way more of the bad stuff than I do. Um, I have a feeling that he’ll come back at some point, but, uh, I think everyone needs a break off social media once in a while. And, uh, I think it’s probably better for his, uh, mental being, um, health for, uh, for him to be for take some time off. What drove you to dive into that into Twitter as as fully as you have?
I’m sorry.
What what made you decide to be uh as prominent on Twitter Twitter as you have?
Um I got bored for one uh when I was on the cornfairy tour a few years back and um yeah, I really saw the growing uh the following that Max had had made and um just wanted to try it out and see where it happened and um so far it’s been great.
Michael golf can be a lonely game. Does that uh posting on social media and interacting with fans that build a connection and make you feel a little less lonely out there?
Um for one, it is a lonely game, but I in general I don’t feel like a ton of loneliness. Um I’m totally happy kind of by myself and with my girlfriend or whatever. So, uh there’s that. And also I I I um I take I I really enjoy the relationship I have with my with on Twitter with my followers, but at the end of the day, it’s the it’s the real friends and family that have been with with me for a long time that I cherish way more. And um you know that it’s social media is great, but uh it’s I think it’s should be way more about um my really close friends. Have you had any negative interactions with followers?
I mean, every everyone everyone has it, I feel like. Um whether it’s the it’s the it’s the daily fantasy crew that gets mad at me that I play bad or or even some of like uh the live, you know, paid guys that uh that’ll tweet at me. Um but, you know, before I used to kind of just look away. And now I just block them and it’s just it’s just a much better way after that. Yeah.
Is that that’s how you deal with it? You just block them. You don’t get into any back and forth.
Yeah. I I I used to and I just realized it’s it’s u might as well just yell at a wall. So, um, yeah,
Michael, I love your authenticity on X as well, but I’d like to talk about golf for a minute and just ask you the difference between you now and that kid who showed up here and surprised everybody, the ups, the downs, and getting back into fantastic playing form.
Yeah. Um, obviously had a fantastic week in 2018. Um, but I just think I’m a much more complete player physically and mentally. So, um, it’s kind of a lightning in a bottle moment, but, uh, you know, this what I’ve been doing now feels way more sustainable and, um, I think I’ll be able to handle it better. Um, leading up,
what was the reaction in the locker room when you started making these really amusing posts? I mean, some of your stuff is quite random and also quite entertaining.
Um, mostly good. Uh Harry Higs just a few days ago says he looks forward to some of my stuff. Uh but yeah, I I don’t think I’m sharing anything um top secret or anything that any other PJ tour pro might not know. Um so everyone kind of knows what I’m talking about. I just share it more than others. And uh when they mention it, it it I feel a little awkward because I feel like I’m sharing it to uh people outside the ropes. And when someone inside the ropes talks to me about it, I’m uh feel a little awkward about it because I feel like it should be I think it’s more for people that uh I don’t really know. So when someone, you know, like Carrie mentions it, it’s it’s a little awkward, but uh overall overall it’s been positive, I feel like. How have you turned lightning in a bottle into the more sustained success that you’re now seeing?
Uh just um you know everything kind of came together at that point, but you know now just overall I feel like my game is just in a much much I feel like I’ve raised the floor way more. So um you know this even though today was a great round um doesn’t feel out of place or anything like that.
Can you just talk about the golf course? It’s really hot. Uh it’s going to be hot all weekend. What what is how does that affect it and what what parts are getable, what what aren’t?
Um yeah, it’s um you know fairways are pretty firm um for the most part and the greens are soft so you know scoring conditions are are fantastic. Um you know greens are great and uh yeah course is in great shape for more birdies hopefully by me. Awesome. Thank you.
