The former Players champion essentially just turned up on the gold-plated doorstep of Royal Melbourne and has played some world-class golf over the opening three days. The South Korean is now right in the hunt for a maiden Stonehaven Cup.
“I was thinking about it a month ago,” Kim told the media following his 65.
“I just decided last week, and I asked Geoff Ogilvy, ‘I really want to play here, can you help me?’
“It was great to have this kind of tournament to play.”
He admitted that Presidents Cup captain, Geoff Ogilvy, helped him in the field. But insisted this week isn’t an audition for next year’s challenge at Medinah.
If he were to take the spoils tomorrow, it would be the 30-year-old’s first win since the 2023 Sony Open on the PGA Tour.
Kim has looked in complete control of his game, especially today as he cruised to a six-under-par 65 littered with seven birdies and a lone bogey on the tricky 6th hole.
The four-time PGA Tour winner bounced back with a phenomenal wedge shot into a dicey pin on the par-3 7th hole, making the six-foot putt to get back to three-under for the day.
He kept a clean card from there, as showers and gusts swept through Royal Melbourne. Birdies on 10,11,14, and 18 are a clear indicator of Kim’s form. Also, only making four bogeys so far this week; not bad for someone who only saw the golf course for the first time on Wednesday.
“My first time playing was Wednesday.
“I don’t even know where I have to hit it. Thursday was even my caddie’s first time here, too.
“I mean, I know where it’s going at least, so I think that helps, especially tomorrow.”
Kim’s form over the past 12 months on the PGA Tour has been steady. He played in 30 events in 2025 and made 22 cuts, with three of those resulting in top-10 finishes.
It was Kim and caddie Manuel Villegas’ first time at Royal Melbourne as a duo on Thursday. PHOTO: Getty Images.
He didn’t make the Tour Championship for the second year straight. He has a fantastic chance to finish an average year with a lofty win at one of the world’s most iconic venues.
Playing alongside two other Presidents Cup hopefuls, New Zealand’s Ryan Fox and Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Kim wasn’t sure there was a 65 out there with the scheduled wind and notoriously tricky Sandbelt conditions.
“I thought nothing like this [65],” Kim told Golf Australia Magazine.
“Everyone’s playing so good. And then even greens [are] still firm, but lots of birdies [are] coming, so I have to figure it out tomorrow, how to play.
Fox scrambled to his second-straight even-par round, remaining at six-under for the tournament. Leaving himself plenty of work to do if he wants to break New Zealand’s Stonehaven Cup drought. While Aphibarnrat stumbled to a two-over 73.
Kim will play in the final group with Cam Smith and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen. The latter is holding a two-shot lead over Kim and Smith.
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Kim said he hadn’t had many experiences at national opens apart from the U.S Open. But said this week at Royal Melbourne has felt like a major.
“I haven’t experienced many other than the U.S Open.
“So, this is maybe the second, third time for a national Open. This is special and is so much different than I thought it was.
“It’s a great event.”
The crowds have been 10-15 deep all week, and even bigger as the final groups made their way around the Composite Course today.
Showing the weight this tournament still holds.
“It felt like major [on the] first day.
“It was so special.
“Any good shot or bad shot, a lot of cheering for us. So, it was great.”
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