Kim Joo-hyung finds himself with just one event left to secure his spot in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, after a flawless final round at the PGA Tour’s 3M Open brought him within touching distance of the playoff cutline.

Competing at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota, Kim shot a remarkable five-under-par in the last round on July 28, showing his best form when it mattered most. He carded one eagle and three birdies, with no bogeys on his scorecard—a clinical performance that boosted him from a tie for 54th to a tie for 28th, finishing at 13-under 271 overall.

However, the dream jump in the FedEx Cup standings didn’t materialize. Kim maintained his 89th place position, the same as before the tournament. While his bogey-free round prevented him from dropping in the rankings, he now faces a do-or-die situation at the final regular-season event, the Wyndham Championship, where he must break into the top 70 to qualify for the playoffs.

Other Korean golfers also found the playoff race challenging. Byeong-hun An missed the cut and slipped from 67th to 69th in the standings. Si-woo Kim dropped from 43rd to 45th after similarly missing the cut. Im Sung-jae, meanwhile, stayed within reach of the Tour Championship, sitting on the critical bubble at 30th place.

The 3M Open title went to American Kurt Kitayama, who put in an extraordinary run. Kitayama tied the course record with a third-round 60, then surged again with a six-under final round to claim victory at 23-under-par 261. His winning total was just one shot shy of Lee Hodges’ tournament record from last year.

Kitayama seized momentum early in the final round, firing six birdies over the first eight holes to take command of the leaderboard. Despite a scare with a bogey on the 17th, he steadied himself with a par on the 18th to seal the win—earning his second career PGA Tour title, and his first since the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2023.

The victory vaults Kitayama from 110th to 53rd in the FedEx Cup rankings, all but guaranteeing him a place in the second round of the playoffs. He also pockets $1.51 million in prize money, along with coveted spots in next year’s Sentry Tournament of Champions and The Masters.

Reflecting on his achievement, Kitayama said, “My game kept improving, and I’m happy it all came together.” Adding a special touch, his older brother Daniel resumed caddie duties, just as he had during Kitayama’s previous tour win.

Elsewhere, American Sam Stevens finished runner-up, one shot behind Kitayama. Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen claimed a share of 14th, while American Akshay Bhatia tied for 25th to round out the leaderboard.

Note “This article was translated from the original Korean version using AI assistance, and subsequently edited by a native-speaking journalist.”

Photo=Yonhap News