Inside Si Woo Kim’s Putter Switch

Since everyone in the field is ultimately competing for themselves, weekly PGA TOUR events don’t often make for the best environments for peer-to-peer mentoring. But because everyone who wears the uniform has a common goal, the biannual Presidents Cup can be an opportunity for younger PGA TOUR players to soak up wisdom from more experienced peers.

Read Also: Cameron Smith Biography

As an illustration, Si Woo Kim entirely changed his putting technique after Adam Scott’s counsel prior to the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow, and the decision has proven to be very profitable.

From Prodigy to PLAYERS Champion: The Rise of Si Woo Kim

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Si Woo Kim was a golf prodigy from a young age. He quickly rose through the amateur ranks and made a monumental decision to turn professional as a teenager. His talent was so undeniable that in 2012, at just 17 years and 5 months old, he became the youngest player to ever graduate from the PGA TOUR’s grueling qualifying school (Q-School). However, due to the tour’s age restrictions, he had to wait until he turned 18 in June 2013 to become a full member. His early career was a learning experience, but it set the stage for a dramatic breakthrough.

The 2017 PLAYERS Championship: A Historic Victory

At the age of 21, Si Woo Kim arrived at the 2017 PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass as a talented but inconsistent player. He left as a history-maker. In one of the most surprising victories in the tournament’s history, he became the youngest-ever winner of the PGA TOUR’s flagship event. He accomplished this with a display of incredible poise and skill under immense pressure:

• Mastering a Difficult Course: He navigated the treacherous Pete Dye-designed course with the precision of a veteran, avoiding the major mistakes that plagued many of the world’s top players.
• A Flawless Final Round: In the final round, while paired with the world’s best, Kim played a bogey-free round of 69 to win by three strokes over a field that included Ian Poulter and Louis Oosthuizen.
• The Iconic 17th: He faced the terrifying island green on the 17th hole with a narrow lead and calmly found the center of the green, effectively sealing his monumental victory.

Previous Si woo Kim Putting Technique

Kim had a fairly traditional putting stroke before the Presidents Cup. He mainly played with a standard-length Odyssey putter and mostly used the conventional overlap grip. It’s a fairly typical grip variant, even if he would extend his right index finger a little bit lower down the shaft than some others.

Kim Si-Woo Strokes Gained: Putting Ranking

Kim Si-Woo , 27, had primarily battled with his putting but had won three events in that manner, including the 2017 PLAYERS Championship. His highest Strokes Gained: Putting ranking throughout his seven complete seasons on the PGA TOUR was 111th. In the 2021–2022 season, he placed 177th in SG: Putting, losing an average of 0.404 strokes per round on the greens.

Read Also: Scottie Scheffler Biography

Kim Si-Woo Latest Putting Technique

Nevertheless, debuted a new putting technique and putter at the 2022 Presidents Cup thanks to tips from Adam Scott, his 42-year-old International partner. Scott, a 14-time TOUR champion, has struggled on the greens and has changed his putting stroke multiple times as a result. He has mainly used a long “broomstick” style putter and a claw grip with his right hand for the past ten years, keeping his left hand raised by his chest. The USGA Rule 14-1b, which forbade anchoring the club against the body, was enacted in 2016, and Scott has since stopped anchoring his left hand against his chest.

Read Also: Morgan Pressel Biography

Si Woo Kim Putter

Following the practice round, Kim Si-Woo contacted Joe Toulon, an Odyssey Tour representative, to ask for a personal broomstick-style putter. Si Woo Kim putter is an Odyssey 2-Ball Ten model with a 5.5-inch split handle, as Toulon detailed to GolfWRX.com.

Kim told PGATOUR.com, “First of all, I put my thumb on top of the putter instead of gripping the putter this way (conventionally). Since it’s all about positioning the shoulders to try to feel as if it moves in one piece, I grasp my left hand firmly. The right hand…I prefer to use a claw grip with my right hand on top, as Adam Scott instructed me to do. Holding the left hand firmly, make a single motion with the shoulder.”

The 2022 Presidents Cup was Si Woo Kim Putter and putting style debuts. He finished 3-1, helping the International Team by defeating Justin Thomas in the singles match.

“I can putt more consistently and worry less about movement while I’m putting because my putting stroke is one action. Because of all these benefits, I like it.”

Read Also: John Daly Biography

Validation with Victory: The 2023 Sony Open

The true validation for his radical putting change came just a few months later at the 2023 Sony Open in Hawaii. This was his first individual victory using the broomstick putter, proving the change was no fluke. He won in dramatic fashion with a clutch finish:

• Final Hole Heroics: Trailing by one shot on the 72nd hole, Kim chipped in for a spectacular birdie to force a playoff.
• Playoff Win: He carried that momentum into the playoff, where he defeated Hayden Buckley to claim his fourth PGA TOUR title.

This victory was more than just another trophy; it was a career-defining moment that cemented the success of his bold decision to overhaul his putting.

PGA Tour Debut – Si Woo Kim Putter

The 2022 Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas was Kim Si-Woo’s first individual PGA TOUR debut using the new putter, and he placed T8. More importantly, he gained 0.583 strokes on the greens, placing 38th overall in Strokes Gained: Putting for the competition. This represents a significant improvement over last season, albeit there is still space for more growth.

Personal Life, Wife, and Military Exemption

Off the course, Si Woo Kim’s life is just as eventful. In December 2022, he married fellow South Korean professional golfer Oh Jihyun, a multiple winner on the KLPGA Tour. His personal life is also deeply connected to his professional success due to South Korea’s mandatory military service requirement for all able-bodied men.

• Military Service Exemption: For South Korean male athletes, winning a medal at the Olympic Games or a gold medal at the Asian Games grants a highly coveted exemption from the nearly two-year military service.
• A Career on the Line: After his Sony Open win, Kim secured his spot on South Korea’s team for the 2023 Asian Games. He and his teammates went on to win the gold medal, securing his exemption and ensuring he could continue his PGA TOUR career without a lengthy interruption.

Si Woo Kim Net Worth and Career Earnings

With multiple high-profile victories, including the lucrative PLAYERS Championship, Si Woo Kim has built a substantial net worth. His career earnings on the PGA TOUR alone have surpassed $20 million. In addition to his on-course winnings, he has endorsement deals with several major brands, including:

• Callaway Golf: His official equipment and apparel sponsor.
• CJ Logistics: A major South Korean company and a prominent logo on his apparel.

While exact figures are private, his total net worth is estimated to be in the range of $15 to $20 million, a figure set to grow as he continues his successful career on the PGA TOUR.

Read Also: Bryson DeChambeau Biography