"You got to pick your butt up"- Tom Kim forced to play PGA Tour's fall schedule after finishing just one place out of FedEx Cup rankings

Tom Kim tops the field this weekend at the Shriners Children's Open. The main reason he's playing in it, aside from being a two-time defending champion, is because he didn't make it into the final rounds of FedEx Cup playoffs last year. He finished 51st after one week, and only 50 get to move on.

He bogeyed before two straight double bogeys to conclude play at the St. Jude Championship, which forced him to go home. Now, if Kim wants to play in more Signature Events, he has to play the fall schedule.

He said via Golfweek:

“The difference between being 50 and 51st is a big difference. Good golf you’re able to take three, four months off and not worry about anything. Bad golf you got to pick your butt up once the playoff starts and try to play well in the fall.”

Players like Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele don't have to play any of these events since they did so well. Kim began the FedEx St. Jude Championship ranked 43rd, but his abysmal finish prevented him from moving on and forced him to play these tournaments.

The silver lining to this is that he's back in the field for the Shriners Children's Open this weekend. In doing so, he has a chance to be the first-ever player to win three in a row in this event and the seventh player to ever win any tournament three times in a row.

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Tom Kim reflects on returning to Shriners Children's Open

Tom Kim is back at the Shriners Children's Open. His victory there in 2022 was arguably what pushed him into the mainstream. He won it again in 2023, and now has the chance to do what no one else has done.

Tom Kim is back at the Shriners Children's Open (Imagn)

Only Jim Furyk and Kim have ever repeated as champions at the Shriners Children's Open. No one has ever won it three times in a row. Only six golfers have ever won any PGA Tour tournament three times in a row. Steve Stricker (2009-2011) was the last person to do it. Tiger Woods (six different tournaments), Stuart Appleby, Tom Watson, Johnny Miller, and Jack Nicklaus are the others.

Kim said via Golfweek about his return:

“Every time you tee it up here, you’re kind of thinking about the tournament and looking forward to it. It’s definitely one of my favorite weeks of the year.”

Tom Kim may have had no choice but to play the fall schedule after a disappointing end to his 2024 season, but he does get to go back to a tournament he enjoys and try to do something historic. He is the early favorite to win.