At the 2026 U.S. Open, Tom Kim said he could feel it in his fingertips that he would win this tournament. He didn’t, but came close with a solo third. Weeks later, at the Genesis Scottish Open, that feeling has finally turned into a trophy. The South Korean broke down into tears at the Renaissance Club, unable to speak for a moment. He won his first trophy after 1,004 days—his last win came at the Shriners Children’s Open (October 12, 2023). Speaking to Amanda Balionis after his win, he shared what it meant to him.

“I knew just mentally, physically, I felt like I was all there. This one, really, I didn’t want to let go, and I’m glad I didn’t. I’m at a loss for words.”

His emotion is not without precedent, as he has waited for the moment for nearly three years amid his career struggles. Kim beat his top contender, Min Woo Lee, by two shots.

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In round two, he shared the 36-hole lead with Rory McIlroy and Jordan Smith. Fog delays pushed round three into Sunday morning, where McIlroy and Smith faltered while Kim pulled away, carding 65-66-68-64.

Kim could not hold his tears as he further elaborated on how much the win meant to him. When asked what the single most impactful shot of his final round was, without a flinch, he pointed to the 16th.

On the 16th par-4, Kim hit his approach shot from 203 yards to six feet and made a birdie putt, pushing his lead to two shots. That birdie came right after Min Woo Lee had briefly cut the gap to one. That also became his sixth birdie of a bogey-free 64.

He later spoke about the shot as the perfect number.

“I have hit a similar putt like that a lot in my life in practice. So I just told myself this is the same thing as at home. I played as good as I could have down the stretch with the pressure. I executed when I needed to, and I’m very proud of myself for being calm out there.”

Kim’s career once looked unstoppable. He won twice on the tour before turning 21, matching a feat only Tiger Woods had managed. He continued his performance, adding a third title in October 2023. However, that win was followed by a prolonged slump. Kim missed 17 cuts on the tour from the start of 2024 through the season, and his ranking took a hit as well. He finished 94th in the 2025 FedEx Cup standings, missing the playoffs for the first time in his career. His putting ranked 114th in the fall of 2025.

Kim has said the issues were less mechanical than mental. Speaking last October, he described it as a “big mental game,” explaining that a lack of confidence bled into every shot he hit.

This year, he showed signs of improvement before Scotland arrived: 15 cuts in 17 starts. The win secures his entry into the majors, which he missed this year. He heads to the Royal Championship at Birkdale next week.