​Tom Kim has said he felt the love from the crowds at the Scottish Open even as he recognized that many fans there would have preferred to see Robert MacIntyre win at The Renaissance Club on Sunday. Kim claimed his fourth PGA Tour victory and his first in almost three years, finishing two strokes ahead of Min Woo Lee in North Berwick after a strong closing stretch.
Heading into the final round, it seemed the field of potential champions was already a long one, with many players within a few shots of MacIntyre. Of course, MacIntyre would have been an immensely popular winner. Few will forget the 2024 moment when the 29-year-old holed the winning putt on the 72nd hole to claim his national open. Unfortunately for the Scot, his final round got off to a nightmare start, and after 10 holes he found himself three over par for the day, seemingly out of contention. That opened the door for Kim to seize the moment. The South Korean produced a flawless round, not dropping a bogey on his way to a 64 and a 17-under-par total for the week.
Kim spoke about the atmosphere and the support that both he and MacIntyre received, noting that both players are well aware of how rarely either competes in front of a home crowd. Photo by Luke Walker/Getty Images. “It’s a very interesting thing, right? We play in the U.S. I mean, every golfer in the world wants to play on the PGA Tour, and that’s the dream. But there’s a lot more that goes into golf than playing on the PGA Tour. There are a lot of sacrifices that have to be made,” he said. “Rob has done such an amazing job in his career. He’s one of the best players in the world. He’s always a good laugh. I’ve always enjoyed playing with him and spending time with him. I can definitely feel the Scottish fans behind him, which is really cool for me to see, especially since I’m a foreigner just like everyone else. And Rob is playing in front of his home crowd. I’m sure 95 percent of the Scottish fans wanted Rob to win today, but I can still feel the love.” He added, “The Scottish fans are some of the best in the world. They applaud great shots and understand what a good shot looks like. It’s the Home of Golf, so to win a trophy here is fantastic for me.”
The Scottish Open had drawn considerable attention entering the week because of the strength of its field. With Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler, and Rory McIlroy in the mix, it had the potential to be regarded as one of the season’s premier events. Yet the weekend did not unfold for most of the big-name contenders. Scheffler missed the cut, while McIlroy’s Saturday performance left him out of the running. Still, the tournament delivered a memorable Sunday once again, and MacIntyre spoke about the pride he felt in the galleries’ dedication over the prior four days. “Yeah, the guys put in unreal effort into it, into the golf course, and the crowd showed remarkable support,” he said, reflecting on the week’s atmosphere and the quality of the golf on display.