Tom Kim won his maiden DP World Tour title with a brilliant display of back-nine frontrunning as he came full circle at the Genesis Scottish Open.
The South Korean announced himself on the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR stage at The Renaissance Club four years ago with a third-place finish and after that he went on to win three PGA TOUR titles and make two Presidents Cup appearances.
A poor 2025 and start to 2026, however, meant he was outside the top 150 in the world just a month ago before roaring back to form to finish third at the U.S. Open.
And now, after a closing bogey-free 64 that gave him a 17 under par total in East Lothian, he is a Rolex Series champion in an event co-sanctioned with the PGA TOUR.
Australia's Min Woo Lee - the champion here in 2021 - finished two shots behind after a 67, two clear of home hero Robert MacIntyre, England's Matt Fitzpatrick, Japan's Keita Nakajima and American Johnny Keefer.
The victory guarantees Kim an invite to the Masters Tournament in 2027, while Keefer, countryman Michael Thorbjornsen and Frenchman Victor Perez earn places at next week's Open Championship as the top three players not already exempt.
Since bursting onto the scene here in 2022, Kim has never finished outside the top 20 at Renaissance, and he was in tears after signing his card to confirm his return to the winner’s circle after his recent drop in form.
"Obviously I've had a tough couple of years," he said. "I got to taste a lot of that humble pie and I got to really learn about myself and I'm still trying to grow, still trying to learn. Still got a long way to go.
"But this one I wanted to dedicate to the people that were in my corner the whole time and struggled with me and who celebrated with me."
He added: "This one is up there. I played probably as good as I could down the stretch with pressure and I executed when I needed to.
"Very proud of myself for just being calm out there. That last putt, I've hit a similar putt like that a lot in my life. I told myself, it's the same as at home, and this is awesome."
Kim started the final round one shot off the lead, having dropped a shot on the 18th as he completed 11 holes of the third round in the morning after fog delays on Saturday.
He was soon in a five-way tie at the top as he took advantage of the par-five first and he rejoined the lead with a 16-footer on the fourth as he, Fitzpatrick, Lee and briefly MacIntyre all jostled for supremacy.
He once again made the most of a par-five at the seventh to edge ahead and while Fitzpatrick and Lee birdied the same hole to join him at 14 under, they both bogeyed the next and Kim led at the turn.
A 15-footer at the tenth gave him some breathing room and when he completed the set on the par fives after laying up at the 12th, he was three ahead.
Lee was not giving up, however, and he made a two-putt birdie on the 12th and then got up and down on the driveable par-four 14th to trim the lead to one before Kim hit an incredible iron to six feet at the 16th.
His only sign of nerves came with a missed seven-footer at the next which would have all but sealed victory but he parred his way home to take the title.
Fitzpatrick carded a 69, a score matched by 2024 champion MacIntyre who came home in 32 after falling out of contention on the front nine.
Keefer will make his Open debut thanks to a closing 67, with Nakajima carding the same score as the pair finished one ahead of Thorbjornsen and 2023 winner Rory McIlroy, who signed for rounds of 69 and 64 respectively.
Perez and South Korean Si Woo Kim both finished with rounds of 66 to sit at 11 under and complete the top ten.
To sign up to receive the latest announcements relating to next season's Genesis Scottish Open, click here.
