CROMWELL, Conn. — Even before play was halted by weather Friday afternoon, it was almost certain no one was catching Tom Kim in the second round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell.
When the thunder began and competition was suspended around 4 p.m., Kim held a two-stroke lead over Collin Morikawa and Akshay Bhatia, who were tied for second. On Friday in Round 2, Kim shot a 65 (-5). After two days at Travelers, he was 13 under par.
In his post-round press conference on his 22nd birthday, the South Korean professional golfer discussed his mindset and how it has helped him elevate his game. He said his results at Travelers aren’t a priority; his focus is more on improving each week.
“I went into today not really thinking about the score. I’m playing really well, and I know what I’m doing on the golf course, so I was really executing my game plan,” Kim said. “That’s how I’m doing it, and the score is the score. I’ve been playing really solid, and I’ve been saying that it’s not about this week. It’s about keep building these momentum blocks for the rest of the season.”
Following Round 1 on Thursday, in which Kim shot a 62, he spent about 30 minutes practicing on the driving range at TPC River Highlands. He said the routine keeps him on point as he goes week to week on the demanding PGA Tour.
“I kind of know what I need to do and what my tendencies are, so I just make sure after the round I’m doing the right things to keep myself sharp,” Kim said on Friday. “It’s my eighth week so swing wise and physically things can get off pretty quickly so (I’m) just trying to be in a sharp form and do the right things to kind of keep the momentum going.”
Kim said that sometimes when he feels he’s in a good spot he takes the opportunity to rest, but as he embarks deeper onto the tour, he is doing all he can to ensure his game is at its peak. Kim said the range work helps keep his mind and body in the right spot.
Recently, Kim switched back to an old swing coach, who he considers a good friend. The two go way back to before Kim was on the PGA Tour. Kim said he values the familiarity and friendship, but it’s business as usual when they work together.
“It’s also nice to have a guy with the same beliefs as me and same faith and also at the same time we both kind of know each other really well and exactly what we need to do to play well. Those things kind of help, and it was nice to just go back to something where it’s not completely new,” Kim said.
On Friday, Kim connected on all but one fairway and one green. A reporter asked him if he felt as good as he has over the eight-week stretch.
“I would say so,” Kim said. “I think the big difference is it’s just sharper, and I’m more aware now. I think the work I’ve been doing the past few months has been making sure I feel confident out in the competition and not just in the practice rounds. I think this stretch has made me sharper and more ready, and it’s starting to show.”
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@fox61.com
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