North berwick: South Korea's Tom Kim has surged up the men's world golf rankings boosted by his first PGA Tour title after a 33-month drought. Kim climbed 33 spots to No. 33 with an average of 3.20 points in the latest rankings announced Sunday (U.S. time) following the conclusion of the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the 24-year-old, whose Korean name is Kim Joo-hyung, recorded six birdies without a bogey in the final round to finish at 17-under-par 263. It was Kim's fourth career victory on the PGA Tour. His new ranking marks a significant jump from his previous position at No. 66, though it remains short of his career-best ranking.
Kim broke down in tears after securing the win in Scotland, capping a turnaround season following a prolonged slump. His ranking had fallen to as low as No. 107 in January but began to recover after a solo third-place finish at the U.S. Open in June.
Compatriot Kim Si-woo, who finished tied for ninth at the Scottish Open, inched up one spot to No. 21. Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler of the United States retained the No. 1 ranking, with Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland remaining at No. 2.