Augusta: About to make his ninth appearance at the Masters, Kim Si-woo believes his experience at the famed Augusta National Golf Club should help him this week in the Peach State. Kim will be one of two South Koreans in the field at the Masters, the first major of the men's golf season, alongside Im Sung-jae. Kim played at every Masters from 2017 to 2024 and then missed out on last year's event before returning this year.
According to Yonhap News Agency, at No. 28, Kim is the highest-ranked South Korean player at the moment. He has had four top-10 finishes in nine PGA Tour events so far this season. His best showing at the Masters has been a tie for 12th in 2021.
"I've built a ton of experience here, and I've developed a good idea of where to hit the ball and where not to go," Kim said in his pretournament interview at Augusta on Tuesday (local time). "I think putting will be the most important element to play well here." Kim, a four-time PGA Tour winner, said he began working on a new backswing four years ago, and he has emerged with better mechanics after an adjustment period of about a couple of years.
Kim, never among the bombers off the tee, admitted the length at the 7,565-yard Augusta can be challenging for him. But this is where Kim believes his solid iron play can come in handy. "I have decent accuracy numbers with my irons now," he said. "If I can leave myself with about 175 yards to the pin after a tee shot, then I'll be in a good position. With my six- or seven-iron, I can put the ball on the green."
The 30-year-old Kim has been playing on the tour for a decade and said he feels "far more comfortable" with his game than earlier in his career. "It's only been the last two, three years that I've been playing steady golf," Kim added. "I feel like I am getting better. I am more confident, and I am having more fun."
Kim said he was particularly wary of the famous "Amen Corner," a three-hole stretch featuring the par-4 11th, the par-3 12th and the par-5 13th. "You have to be careful at the 12th because the wind changes direction so often," Kim added. Im, who will be playing in his seventh consecutive Masters, agreed.
Im tied for second in his Masters debut in 2020, and it remains the best performance by a South Korean player at the tournament. He tied for fifth last year and was one of just two players to shoot under par in all four rounds then. "I've been dreaming of playing here since I was a kid, and finishing second at my first appearance was huge for my confidence," Im said. "You need a lot of precision and accuracy on this course."
When asked how he would feel donning the iconic green jacket, presented to the champion each year, Im said: "I love the color green. I'm only buying green things now, and it feels good just to picture myself in the green jacket."