An exciting Saturday at the Presidents Cup may have gone a bit too far, at least according to Tom Kim.
Following a narrow 1-down loss to Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele in foursomes, Kim accused some U.S. players of cursing at he and his partner, Si Woo Kim.
“As it got towards the end, it got a little feisty out there,” Tom Kim said. “I could hear some players cursing at us. That part wasn’t really – I don’t think there was good sportsmanship there. But it’s all part of the fun. I understand it.”
The Kims put on a show all day, with big putts and even bigger celebrations, which reached a crescendo when Si Woo Kim holed out a flop shot for birdie at Royal Montreal’s par-4 16th hole to tie the match back up with Schauffele and Cantlay – and then ran around the green while doing Steph Curry’s night-night gesture.
When Cantlay drained a birdie at the last to win the match, both sides cordially exchanged handshakes and there, at least on TV, was not the appearance of any tension.
“You see me out there throwing fist pumps and jumping on the green. It’s all part of it, I get it,” Tom Kim added. “I just don’t think there’s a need to look at someone and curse at them. I just don’t think there’s a need for it. I understand it. I don’t get hurt about it. My feelings don’t hurt at all. I hope there’s no negative comments. That’s not what I’m trying to do here.”
Neither Kim was asked to divulge details about which players were shouting the expletives. Schauffele was asked about it in his press conference, to which he responded, “I mean, I can speak for myself. I felt like Pat and I, we treated the Kims with the utmost respect. We’re trying to quiet the crowds down when they were hitting. … It was fair take, give and go.
“I have no clue if anyone was doing any of that. I don’t believe any of our guys would do something like that. So, I’m not sure what he was hearing.”
Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis caught up with Tom Kim later, and Kim confirmed to him that he did, in fact, hear some “PG, inflammatory” comments directed at them from the “American team.” Lewis added that Kim did not provide names, though he did confirm that the comments did not come from Schauffele, Cantlay or either of their caddies, Austin Kaiser and Joe LaCava.
Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard added that he believes the incident Kim was speaking about occurred on the 11th hole, where some members of the U.S. contingent following inside the ropes were being “very loud, very vocal” toward Tom Kim.
