Scottie Scheffler backs struggling PGA Tour golfer to return to form
World number one Scottie Scheffler believes Tom Kim will return to the winner's circle on the PGA Tour very soon.
Scottie Scheffler has backed PGA Tour golfer Tom Kim to return to form very soon.
The 23-year-old South Korean turned down LIV Golf in 2022 in favour of a career on the PGA Tour and quickly established himself as one of the sport's brightest talents.
He won twice in his rookie season and rose to 11th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
But he is without a win since October 2023 and has fallen to 141st in the world.
"I think, when you look at golf, it's such a difficult sport," Scheffler told reporters ahead of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson when asked about Kim's struggles.
"I believe it's the hardest game in the world. So there's always ebbs and flows to how you feel.
"Tom's a young guy still. I think people forget, I think he's 23 years old. When you look at where I was at 23 years old, I definitely wasn't a multiple-time Tour winner."
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Scheffler added: "Tom is a guy that has a ton of talent, but I think life on the PGA Tour can be challenging at times, especially when you start thinking about your results and your ranking starts to drop a little bit. It's just challenging.
"Whenever I see Tom, I try to give him my best. If he ever has a question for me, I always try to give him a good answer."
Scheffler is not one to get involved in heated exchanges with other players but he was involved in a memorable spat with Kim during the 2024 Presidents Cup in Montreal.
Tempers flared after Kim celebrated a 27-foot birdie putt with a fist-pump and shouted "let's go".
Scheffler responded with his own birdie to halve the hole and yelled towards Kim: "What was that?"
Kim celebrated strongly again when he sunk a long putt to birdie and then controversially left the hole before Scheffler's attempt, which he missed.
Several members of the US team, including assistant captain Kevin Kisner, were furious and claimed Kim took gamesmanship too far.
That is water under the bridge, though, and Scheffler said Kim is a "guy that I care a lot about and wish nothing but the best".
"But like I said, it's a hard game, and you kind of just go through the ebbs and flows and the ups and downs," said Scheffler.
"I think a lot of times, when you look from the outside, outside looking in, it's easy just to look at his scores, but a lot of people, we're humans, we all have a lot going on.
"Tom's a guy that I think is living really well right now, even though his scores might not show it.
"Every time I see him, he seems to be in good spirits, which is great.
"That's been his strength from the beginning is his attitude and the way he approaches things. I'm sure he'll be back competing for trophies very soon again."
Kim's results this season have been mixed, but over the last two weeks appears to be finding his groove.
He finished in a share of sixth at Myrtle Beach Classic and was among nine players to come through a gruelling 36-hole qualifier in Dallas to earn a tee time for the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.
Scheffler, meanwhile, enters the CJ Cup at TPC Craig Ranch as the overwhelming favourite defend his title and land his 21st PGA Tour win.
Twelve months ago, Scheffler won here by eight shots on a record-breaking 31-under par total.
Scheffler also told reporters how fatherhood has dramatically changed his PGA Tour routine.
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