On May 22, in McKinney, Texas, at TPC Craig Ranch (par 71), Kim recorded eight birdies and one bogey, finishing with a score of 7-under 64. He is tied for fourth place with Keith Mitchell, Michael Thorbjornsen (both from the U.S.), Emiliano Grillo (Argentina), Stephan Jaeger (Germany), and Hirata Gensei (Japan).
Kim trails the leader, Tyler Moore (U.S.), by two strokes, as Moore shot a remarkable 9-under 62.
Despite drizzly weather, Kim's shot accuracy stood out. He played alongside top competitors, including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (U.S.) and 2018 tournament champion Brooks Koepka, yet maintained his composure throughout the round.
Starting on the 10th hole (par 4), Kim made a long birdie putt from about 20 meters on his first hole. He added birdies on the 12th (par 5) and 14th holes (par 4), finishing the front nine with four birdies.
The momentum continued on the back nine. On the 2nd hole (par 4), he placed his second shot just 70 centimeters from the hole for another birdie, and he sank a 2-meter birdie putt on the 3rd hole (par 4). On the 5th hole (par 5), he used a mini driver to reach the green and followed up with a precise approach to score another birdie. Although he had a disappointing three-putt bogey on the 7th hole (par 3), he redeemed himself with a birdie on the final 9th hole (par 5), finishing the round on a high note.
After the round, Kim said, "It was a good round. My putting was excellent. My shots were a bit shaky, but I'm satisfied with the result. The greens were trickier than I expected, but my putting helped me have a good round."
Brooks Koepka (U.S.), who made eight birdies without a bogey, recorded an 8-under 63, tying for second place with Jesper Svensson (Sweden).
Returning to the PGA Tour after joining LIV Golf, Koepka achieved his personal best score of the year in this tournament. He remarked, "It was my best round of the year. My putting felt good, and it was a big confidence boost to see my feelings align with the actual results."
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler finished tied for 16th with a score of 5-under 66. He noted, "I had some good plays, but I was a bit short with my iron shots, which limited my birdie opportunities. Overall, it was a positive day."
Among other South Korean players, Noh Seung-yul finished tied for 32nd with a score of 4-under 67, while Kim Joo-hyung, Im Sung-jae, and Bae Yong-joon all scored 3-under 68, tying for 47th. Lee Kyung-hoon finished tied for 74th with a score of 2-under 69.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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