Siwoo Kim "I Got My 3rd PGA Win"..."After 3 Years and 8 Months~" (Summary)

American Express Final Day 8-Under Par Storm Shot '1-Stroke Victory', Cantlay 2nd, An Byeonghun Tied 8th

Kim Si-woo is cheering while holding the trophy immediately after winning the American Express. La Quinta, USA = Getty Images / Multibits

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-jun] "3rd → 2nd → 1st → 1st."

Kim Si-woo (26, CJ Logistics) has a perfect winning formula. On the 25th (Korean time), at the La Quinta Stadium Course (par 72, 7,113 yards) in California, USA, he surged with an 8-under-par on the final day of the PGA Tour American Express (total prize money $6.7 million) to claim a one-stroke victory (23-under-par 265). This was his first win of the season and his third career victory, coming 3 years and 8 months after the May 2017 'fifth major' The Players Championship. The winner's prize was $1,134,000 (?1.253 billion).

Kim Si-woo started tied for the lead and swept up 8 birdies. Notably, he made four pairs of consecutive birdies at holes 4-5, 7-8, 12-13, and 16-17, showcasing his momentum. His long drives reached up to 321 yards, and his greens in regulation rate was 83.33%. His 'computer iron shots' were powerful, and his 'stingy putting' averaged 1.53 putts per hole. It is interesting that Patrick Cantlay (USA) posted the daily best with 11-under-par that day.

This is why all eyes were on Kim Si-woo's late surge. The highlight was the birdie on the 16th hole (par 5). From 266 yards, he successfully reached the green in two shots with a 5-wood, then made a two-putt birdie to easily tie the score. On the 17th hole (par 4), he sank a 5.5-meter mid-range putt to regain a one-stroke lead. He commented, "The swing correction I worked on with my coach before the season really paid off," adding, "Today, I focused on playing at my own pace."

Kim Si-woo is teeing off on the 18th hole on the final day of the American Express. La Quinta, USA = Getty Images / Multivitz

Kim Si-woo is known as the 'Korean golf prodigy' who started golf at just six years old. In fact, when he was in the 5th grade at Gyodong Elementary School in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, he was selected for the national representative reserve team, and upon entering high school, he immediately rose to the national team, following an 'elite course.' In 2012, at age 17, he passed the PGA Tour Qualifying (Q) School but was unable to compete properly due to the 'age restriction (18 years)' rule and was relegated to the Korn Ferry Tour (2nd tier).

Fortunately, Kim Si-woo returned to the PGA Tour in 2016 by finishing 10th on the Korn Ferry Tour money list in 2015, and won his first title at the Wyndham Championship in August. In 2017, he captured the 'fifth major,' instantly becoming a world star. Since then, he had experienced a decline with one runner-up and two third-place finishes, making this recent victory even more welcome. He secured a two-year tour card, and most thrillingly, earned a 'Masters ticket' for the upcoming April.

Cantlay finished second (22-under-par 266), while Cameron Davis (Australia) took third place (20-under-par 268). Tony Finau (USA), who started tied for the lead, shot 4-under-par and settled for fourth place (19-under-par 269). From Korea, An Byeong-hun (30) tied for 8th (14-under-par 274), and Im Sung-jae (23) added 3-under-par to tie for 12th (13-under-par 275). Lee Kyoung-hoon (30, all CJ Logistics) finished tied for 32nd (10-under-par 278).