Shriners Children’s Open victory
The youngest player to win two titles in this event last year
Youngest title defense in 110 years
10 million in career winnings in just two seasons

Kim Joo-hyung (center)

Celebrates with the winner’s trophy during the awards ceremony after successfully defending his title at

the U.S. Professional Golf Association (PGA) Tour’s ShrinersChildren’s Open on Saturday. “I want to eat my

favorite chocolate to celebrate my victory,” said Kim, who won his third career PGA Tour title and

surpassed $10 million in career earnings. Las Vegas=Getty Images Korea

Kim became the second youngest golfer in PGA Tour history to win three titles at the age of 21 years and

three months, behind only Tiger Woods (48). He also became the second player in PGA Tour history to

win the same tournament in the same season and the youngest to defend his title in 110 years. He also

became the third South Korean to win three PGA Tour titles, joining Choi Kyung-joo (eight) and Kim Si-woo (four).

Kim

Shot a 5-under 66 with seven birdies and two bogeys in the final round of the PGA Tour’s Shriners

Hospitality Open at TPC Summerlin (Par 71) in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on Saturday. His final total of 20-

under-par 264 earned him a one-stroke victory over Canada’s Adam Hadwin (19-under-par 265). With the

$1.52 million (approx. KRW2.05 billion) first-place prize, Kim increased his career earnings to $10.69

million (approx. KRW1.45 billion), surpassing the $10 million mark in just his second season on Tour.

Kim won his second title at this event last October at the age of 20 years and three months. That was

faster than Woods, who won twice at 20 years, 9 months. However, his third win came a little later. Woods

won three times at the age of 21. Kim is the second South Korean to successfully defend his title on the

PGA Tour. Kyung-hoon Lee won back-to-back AT&T Byron Nelson titles in 2021 and 2022. At the Shriners

Hospitality Open, a South Korean player lifted the trophy for the third consecutive year. Lim Sung-jae was the 2021 champion.

With this victory

Kim made a new record in PGA Tour history. According to local media outlets such as Golf Digest, Kim

became the youngest player to defend a title in 110 years. The fact that he won two tournaments in the

same season is also making waves. Last year, the tournament was held as one of the first events of the

2022-2023 season. However, this year’s tournament was included in the 2022-2023 season as the PGA

Tour decided to make the season a single year starting next year. Despite the different years, Kim has now

won two tournaments in the same season. The only other golfer to win two tournaments in the same

season was legendary golfer Byron Nelson (1912-2006), who won 52 tournaments on the PGA Tour.

Kim’s Joo-Hyung

Path to victory was not an easy one. Starting the final round tied for the lead, Kim was cruising with a

three-stroke lead through the fourth hole. However, she made back-to-back bogeys on the fifth (par-3)

and sixth (par-4) holes. In the meantime, his competitors had rallied and he lost ground. At one point in

the first half, he was tied for fifth. But she bounced back with a birdie on the ninth (par-5) and a birdie on

the 12th (par-4) to regain the lead, and then a birdie on the 13th (par-5) after putting her third shot to

within two feet of the hole. Kim dropped a birdie putt on the 15th (par-4) to seal the deal.

After defending his title, Kim said,

“Last year I was smiling all the time, but in the middle of this year I felt like I wasn’t myself. It was hard

trying to figure out why,” said Kim. “It took me a lot longer to win my third title than my first two. It was

one of the most emotional final rounds I’ve had in the past year and a half.” “I love the venue, TPC

Summerlin. It would be even better if I could win three in a row next year.” Lee, who was tied for second

at one point in the final round, finished the tournament in a tie for seventh place with a final total of 17-

under par 267. 스포츠토토맨