Siwoo Kim's 'March for 2 Consecutive Wins'... "This Time Facing World No. 2 Ram"

Challenging for Victory at Farmers Insurance Open, Woods Out Due to 'Back Surgery', McIlroy a Favorite, Korea's Im Sung-jae and An Byeong-hun Join the Field

Siwoo Kim challenges for 'back-to-back wins' at the Farmers Insurance Open.

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-jun] It is Kim Si-woo's (26, CJ Logistics) 'march toward a second consecutive victory.'

On the night of the 28th (Korean time), he will compete in the PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open (total prize money $7.5 million) held at Torrey Pines Golf Course (par 72, 7,765 yards) in San Diego, California, USA. Defending champion Marc Leishman (Australia) is aiming to defend his title, and world No. 2 Jon Rahm (Spain), No. 6 Xander Schauffele (USA), No. 7 Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), and No. 11 Patrick Reed (USA) have joined, creating a heated atmosphere.

Kim Si-woo has entered a perfect 'resurrection mode.' Throughout the four rounds of the American Express tournament that ended on the 25th, he competed for the win consistently within the 'top 3,' recording 1 eagle and 23 birdies, with only 2 bogeys over 2 rounds. Above all, his average greens in regulation over the four rounds was 81.94% (ranked 1st among participants), showcasing his 'computer iron shots.' His green play was also overwhelming, with an average of 1.61 putts per hole (1st place).

This is why he is ranked as the '15th favorite to win' on the PGA Tour. Kim Si-woo especially prides himself on his 'steel mental strength.' On the final day, when Patrick Cantlay (USA) surged with an 11-under-par, Kim defended his 1-stroke lead with consecutive birdies on holes 16 and 17. "After talking with my coach Claude Harmon, I gained confidence that I could win now," he reflected. "I believed that if I focused on my game, the opportunity would come."

For Kim Si-woo, the absence of the 'returned golf emperor' Tiger Woods (USA) is rather regrettable. This tournament is the 'regular stage' where Woods holds the season opener every year. He won 7 times here, including 4 consecutive wins from 2005 to 2008, and in June 2008 at the US Open, he secured his 14th major victory after a sudden-death playoff in a 91-hole battle. He is particularly strong at Torrey Pines Golf Course. However, this year, due to his fifth back surgery on the 20th, he is unable to participate.

World No. 2 Jon Rahm has announced his participation in the Farmers Insurance Open.

Rahm is a bona fide world star who swept two wins last year: the Memorial Tournament in June and the BMW Championship, the second leg of the Playoffs (PO), in August. On the 10th, at the Sentry Tournament, he attracted even more spotlight with a bold move of 'changing clubs.' He chose Callaway instead of TaylorMade, which he had used for the past five years, finishing tied for 7th, showing a smooth start. He also has the thrilling memory of his first PGA Tour win in 2017.

McIlroy is another favorite to win. On the final day of the European Tour Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on the 24th, he started as the leader by 1 stroke but finished with an even par, dropping to 3rd place, which was frustrating. In Korea, Im Sung-jae (23, CJ Logistics) is challenging for his first win of the season. After leading on the second day of the American Express, he stumbled with a 1-over-par on the third day and is seeking redemption. An Byeong-hun (30), Kang Sung-hoon (34), Lee Kyoung-hoon (30, all CJ Logistics), Noh Seung-yul (31), and Choi Kyung-ju (51, SK Telecom) are accompanying him.