Does Tom Kim use an ultra-custom putter?

South Korean golfer Tom Kim has been on a roll this year. He made history when he won the Shriners Children’s Open, and is only the second player after Tiger Woods to win two PGA Tour tournaments before the age of 21. The 20-year-old also executed a phenomenal performance in the recently concluded Presidents Cup, eclipsing prominent golfers of the US team.

The equipment one uses plays an important role in a golfer's performance. One of the reasons for Kim's excellent consistency on the greens can also be credited to his putter setup. For most of his career, including the 2021 CJ Cup, Kim has been using a steel-shafted putter.

It was after the aforementioned tournament that Tom Kim heeded the advice of a friend and fellow pro that he gave the LA Golf putter shaft a try.

However, he soon switched to a Scotty Cameron Circle T GSS blade putter with custom tiffany-blue paintfill. This was equipped with an LA Golf TPZ One35 shaft at the 2022 AT&T Byron Nelson. His first PGA Tour victory at the Wyndham Championship came with this putter.

Tom Kim at Shriners Children's Open - Final Round (Image via Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

Before the Presidents Cup, Tom Kim worked with the Director of Scotty Cameron Putter Fitting and Player Development, Paul Vizenko, to create a new custom blade putter.

Kim spoke about the process and said that he wanted sole weights on the putter. He said that he normally had a "Circle T putter," and he wanted to try something new and asked Vizenko if he could try a tiffany one. Following this, Vizenko got a putter built and asked Kim what color he wanted it to be.

He added that he wanted something "simple and cool," and this new custom blade putter has been working well for him. He said that the tiffany was a rare piece and he would have loved to use it. However, since he wanted something simple, he went with the black paintfill one, which looked amazing.

Kim added:

"I put it right in the bag after the season finished, and it’s been working pretty well for me."

For the sake of consistency, Kim's new putter was built with LA Golf P-Series 135 shaft, which was similar in design to his earlier LA Golf shaft. Interestingly, it was created with Carolina blue SuperStroke grip as a tribute to the 2022 Presidents Cup that was being held in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Tom Kim went on to win his second PGA Tour event at the 2022 Shriners Children's Open with the same putter. It continues to hold a pivotal place in his golf bag.

---

How is Tom Kim doing in the ongoing 2022 CJ Cup?

Tom Kim at The CJ Cup - Round One (Image via Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Tom Kim and Rory McIlroy's wholesome interaction at the CJ Cup press conference drew an incredible amount of attention to the tournament. While the two top golfers went viral on the internet, they have been in excellent shape on the greens as well.

After Round 1 ended on Thursday, both Tom Kim and defending champion Rory McIlroy are currently in the Top 5 spots at the tournament. They shot a combined 10 under. The two of them were nothing but praise for each other's games. McIlroy commended Kim's consistency and swing. Calling Kim a "very, very solid player," McIlroy said that the former didn't really miss a shot.

Rory McIlroy and Tom Kim at The CJ Cup - Round One (Image via regory Shamus/Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy mentioned that Tom Kim asked for his advice about speed training, as that he had dabbled with it in the wake of Bryson DeChambeau's 2020 US Open victory.

However, McIlroy replied that with time he will naturally get the hang of it. He added that Kim shouldn't bother much with it and noted that as Kim got older, he would get a touch stronger and would get it naturally. Rory continued:

"I was like, 'Do not go down that path, you're good the way you are,"

Tom Kim on his part appreciated McIlroy's game while also explaining that playing his game was hard for him at times. He noted that it wasn't something that could be copied and said:

"Seeing the lines he took; (on one hole it was) like 380 to run out (of fairway) and he was (telling the ball to) sit. I was like, ‘Really? Sit?’ It was 380, but he almost made it. Things like that."

Kim also opened up about that the most important thing for him was to not look at Rory McIlroy's driving lines.

Going by how Round 1 concluded on Thursday, nothing will be more exciting than to see McIlroy and Kim have a duel at the CJ Cup on Sunday at the Congaree Golf Club.