Some players like to be the center of attention in match play, but Tom Kim did the opposite on Saturday morning at Medinah, and it worked. Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim beat Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark 2&1. This gave them their third win in three matches this week and helped keep the International Team’s strong run at the Presidents Cup going. After the match, Tom explained his role in the win. He said he did not focus on receiving credit for the victory.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“I just tried to make as many pars for Si Woo as possible,” Kim said afterward. “He was playing great, and I was kind of the sacrificial lamb today. I was trying to be in play so he could be aggressive. The point that we won was because of him, and I couldn’t be more proud of him, and I’m grateful to have him as my partner.”
The win came at an important time. The International Team started the day with a 7-3 lead after winning all five foursomes matches on Friday, only the third time the International Team had swept an entire session in Presidents Cup history. That 7-3 lead matched the team’s biggest two-session advantage, set in 1998—the only year the International Team won the Cup. It was also only the fourth time the International Team had held the lead after two days of competition. Captain Geoff Ogilvy, aware of how quickly a lead can disappear in this format, cautioned afterward that the color of the leaderboard “can change quickly.” With 30 points available in total and 15½ needed to win, every point mattered, and Tom Kim and Si Woo Kim delivered again.
The pair had already become one of the strongest teams in the tournament. PGA Tour coverage also talked about their strong teamwork before the matches at Medinah.
They started the week with a 3&2 win against Chris Gotterup and Patrick Cantlay in Thursday’s foursomes. On Friday, they beat Cantlay and Xander Schauffele 4&3 in another foursomes match. It was a rematch of an important match from the 2024 Presidents Cup. The Friday win was especially impressive. The Americans stayed close for the first eight holes. Then, on the ninth hole, Si Woo made a 25-foot birdie putt. The shot excited both players and helped them take control of the match.
Si Woo played very well with his irons, while Tom Kim’s putting was a big reason for their early success. Tom made four of their six birdies, helping the Kims build a strong lead before the American team could fight back.
Si Woo Kim made clear the win wasn’t a solo effort, crediting his partner specifically for the putts that closed out the match. “The last two holes was tricky putts. And I think my read, I would have missed, but he gave me so many good reads,” Si Woo said. “I just trust him, just put the line and trust in myself, and it worked through.” He also pointed to an earlier moment as pivotal: “He did a really good shots on 14 that I think was an important thing for the match.”
Tom did not take much credit for his own performance. After three straight wins, the two players have built a strong partnership based on trust and good communication. The International Team will need that same teamwork again on Sunday.
Team USA seized momentum in the afternoon, winning three of four Saturday morning fourball matches. Team USA won three of the four Saturday morning fourball matches, cutting the International Team’s lead to 8-6. Tom and Si Woo were the only International pair to win in the morning, making their point even more important; it stopped Team USA from cutting the gap further during a session the Americans otherwise controlled.
In fourball, one player can play safely while the other takes more risks. Only the better score between the two players counts on each hole. Tom Kim’s steady play and his help with reading the greens gave Si Woo the freedom to attack the pins. This allowed Si Woo to take more chances and make the important putts that helped them win the match.
The International Team kept the same four pairings for the afternoon despite losing the morning session, putting more pressure on Tom and Si Woo to deliver another win against Cantlay and help their team regain control before Sunday’s 12 singles matches.