Win 2 in the’Sadistic’ Dai Design Course
Passed Q-School at PGA West at the age of 17
Amex’s last day’s 17th hole wins
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The strange relationship between Kim Si-woo (27), who won the American Professional Golf (PGA) Tour American Express, is a hot topic.
Kim Si-woo raised the championship again after 3 years and 8 months after conquering the Players Championship in May 2017 in this tournament that ended at the PGA West Stadium Course in La Quinta, California on the 25th (Korean time). Kim Si-woo, who won three wins in his career, unfortunately won two of them at the golf course designed by Pete Dai (1925-2020), who is considered the master of course design. Dai, who passed away in January of last year, was notorious for designing a sadistic course enough to be called’Marquis of THAAD’. Jar bunkers, small, risky greens, and challenging layouts haunted the players.
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The Dai’s masterpiece is the Sograss TPC Stadium Course, where the’Fifth Major’ Players Championship is held every year. Kim Si-woo was the second Korean player to reach the top of the Players Championship in 2017 after Choi Kyung-ju (51). At the Small Grass TPC Clubhouse in Florida, the drivers that Kyung-joo Choi and Si-woo Kim used when they won are on display. Dai designed the PGA West Stadium course, where Kim Si-woo won his third victory in his career.
The coincidence of the number 17 also adds to the interest. Sawgrass and PGA West are particularly famous for hole 17 (par 3), surrounded by water on all sides. Sawgrass No. 17 hole is short enough to be hit with a short iron or pitching wedge, but about 100,000 balls fall into the water every year. PGA West 17 hole is also the plate for Small Grass 17 hole. The hall was nicknamed’Alcatraz’ after the famous prison.
Kim Si-woo has virtually confirmed the championship at the’Alcatraz’ hall that day. In a fierce competition with Patrick Cantley (USA), he succeeded in putting a 5.5m birdie in this hole and put a stake in the championship. Kim Si-woo played a’No Bogie’ round during the 54 holes (18 holes were Nicklaus Course), who played on the stadium course during this tournament. It is PGA West, where Kim Si-woo passed the PGA Tour Qualifying (Q) School in 2012 and confirmed to advance to the US. He passed Q School as the youngest ever to be 17 years, 5 months and 6 days at the time.
In an interview with the PGA Tour after winning that day, Kim Si-woo said, “I have a really good memory of having the opportunity to come to the PGA Tour at the age of 17 on this course.” “So I always played with confidence when I came here. . I was able to win because of this good memory.”
/ Reporter Kim Se-young [email protected]
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