LIV Golf pro mocked for $120k pay day after OUTRAGEOUS sextuple-bogey

LIV Golf League player Sihwan Kim was mocked on social media after his 'dismal' display at the opening event of the breakaway tour in 2023.

Ben Smith

28 Feb 2023

LIV Golf pro mocked for $120k pay day after OUTRAGEOUS sextuple-bogey

Some golf fans were not impressed with Sihwan Kim earning $120,000 in the LIV Golf League opening event at Mayakoba.

The 34-year-old American had what can only be described as a forgettable weekend on the fairways in Mexico.

Kim started Friday's shotgun start on No. 9 at El Camaleón Golf Course alongside England's Richard Bland and American youngster James Piot.

He started with a par but things only went from bad to worse.

Kim's wild first round of 11-over 82 included five bogeys, one double bogey, two birdies and even an ugly 10 (!) on the par-4 18th.

Rounds two and three were better, if only slightly. He carded consecutive rounds of 77 to reach a total score of 23-over.

To put that into context, the champion, 43-year-old American Charles Howell III finished on 16-under.

Over the course of the three rounds Kim recorded:

14 bogeys
Three double bogeys
Two triple bogeys
One sextuple bogey
Nine birdies

It's no surprise that Kim's scoring did little to help his Iron Heads GC side, which is captained by former PGA Tour pro Kevin Na, Danny Lee and Scott Vincent.

Crushers GC, captained by Bryson DeChambeau won the team element. Dustin Johnson's 4 Aces GC finished second with Torque GC, led by Joaquin Niemann, finishing third.

Kim has two victories in his career. He turned pro in 2011 and even joined the esteemed company of Tiger Woods by winning the U.S. Junior Championship as a 15-year-old.

He established himself on the Asian Tour and won the International Series Thailand in 2022.

Kim's performances on the Asian Tour were great last year and he topped the Order of Merit with the 14 events he played, earning $627,458 in prize money.

Leaving Mexico victorious #LIVGolf @Crushers_GC pic.twitter.com/4Iw72PRu6N
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) February 27, 2023

The aforementioned Vincent placed third in the Order of Merit.

Speaking of the Asian Tour, former U.S. Amateur winner Andy Ogletree is leading the Order of Merit thus far having picked up two victories.

Ogletree, like Kim, had a forgettable week at the inaugural LIV Golf event last June.

The 24-year-old American also collected a cheque for $120,000 after finishing dead last with a score of 24-over.

His decision to play in the first breakaway tour event led to him being suspended by the PGA Tour and, in his words, 'kind of getting the boot' from LIV.

Ogletree now has the opportunity to play his way back into LIV Golf if he continues his good form on the Asian Tour.

According to Alan Shipnuck of The FirePit, Ogletree was flown over to Mexico (and paid a fee) to be a reserve player at Mayakoba if another competitor got injured.

As for Kim, golf fans did not shy away from offering their thoughts.

Comments on social media included:

"I wish I could get paid millions to shoot +11 like Sihwan Kim."

"At this point, is a signing of a player only known to serious golf fans really going to do anything to help LIV? Does Replacing Sihwan Kim with Thomas Pieters actually bring more fans to LIV?"

"Sihwan Kim shot +23 over three rounds, finished dead last, and took home $120k in prize money. That's $40k for each of those three dismal rounds. If that's not an indictment of LIV, then I don't know what is. Embarrassing for the sport."

"Tough one for Sihwan kim at +23."

"Sihwan Kim. Definitely elite. He'll have a green jacket come April, no doubt."

Oof!

The next LIV Golf League event will be played over 17-20 March at The Gallery Golf Club in Tucson.

Next page: Phil Mickelson experiences career first after Mayakoba