'Korea's No. 1' Kim Siwoo Dreams of 'Again 2021'

Chasing a Second Victory at the American Express
Fond Memories of Winning at 23-Under Par in 2021
A Fresh Start with a Tied 11th Finish at Last Week's Sony Open

'Korea's No. 1' Siwoo Kim is dreaming of 'Again 2021.'

On January 22 (local time), Siwoo Kim will compete in the American Express, a PGA Tour event with a total prize fund of 9.2 million dollars, held in La Quinta, California, USA. The tournament takes place across three courses in La Quinta: the Pete Dye Stadium Course (par 72, 7,210 yards), La Quinta Country Club (par 72, 7,060 yards), and the Nicklaus Tournament Course (par 72, 7,147 yards).

Siwoo Kim challenges for victory at American Express. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

During rounds 1 to 3, players rotate among these three courses. Only the top 65 players advance to the fourth round, which is held at the Pete Dye Stadium Course, to determine the winner. This tournament is known for producing a flurry of birdies and eagles, with the winning score exceeding 25-under-par for three consecutive years.

Siwoo Kim has claimed four career victories on the PGA Tour, including a win at the fifth major, The Players Championship. Notably, he has fond memories of winning this tournament in 2021 with a score of 23-under-par. His form this year is also solid; he finished tied for 11th at last week's PGA Tour season opener, the Sony Open. As a result, he climbed four spots to 42nd in the latest men's world golf rankings, the highest among Korean players.

In addition to Siwoo Kim, Sung Hyun Kim, Joo Hyung Kim, and Seungtaek Lee will also represent Korea. It is unfortunate that Sungjae Im withdrew from the tournament. He had originally planned to start his PGA Tour season here, but recently pulled out due to pain in his right wrist sustained during training.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (USA) is aiming for victory in his first tournament of the new year. Scheffler, who has 19 career wins on the PGA Tour, captured seven titles in 2024 and six more in 2025, establishing himself as the dominant player. He did not compete in this year's Sony Open. In addition to Scheffler, world No. 5 Russell Henley (USA), No. 6 Robert MacIntyre (Scotland), No. 8 Ben Griffin (USA), and No. 10 Justin Rose (England) are also set to compete.