Nothing Runs Like A Deere.
That’s the famous motto of the John Deere equipment company.
On Sunday Michael Kim ran like a Deere, maybe better.
Kim totally wiped out the competition at the John Deere Classic and strolled to his first PGA Tour win.
Kim finished out his third round with four straight birdies then started his fourth round with two more and left little doubt as to who was going to win at the TPC Deere Run. Kim led by eight shots with eight holes to play, closed with a 66 and his 27-under par total was good for a runaway eight shot margin of victory.
“I know he’s loving it,” said Francesco Molinari of Kim’s big lead. Molinari was one of the four players who tied for second and thought back on his runaway win at The National.
This one was a snoozer. Kim was all about fairways and greens on his march to the clubhouse, where his parents and brother were waiting at the 18th green to surprise him. He didn’t know they were there until he saw them on the large video screen at the final hole.
Kim, who turned 25 on Saturday, has struggled on the PGA Tour.
“It’s been a tough first couple of years,” Kim said after getting his first tour win, sounding relieved. “I was running on fumes on the back nine. I’m really thankful and proud. I’m thankful to my parents and my team.”
Kim gave no indication that he’d come into the event and blow the field away. He’d missed five cuts in his last six events. “Even the last two weeks I knew it’s getting there,” Kim said.
Apparently, everything finally arrived and Kim responded with rounds of 63-64-64-66 to shoot 27-under and tied the tournament scoring record. He also earned a spot in this coming week’s 147th Open Championship at Carnoustie.
SINGH WINS SENIOR PLAYERS PLAYOFF
The PGA Tour’s favorite litigant, picked up his first senior major on Sunday.
Vijay Singh birdied the second playoff hole to beat Jeff Maggert at the Exmoor Country Club for the Senior Players title.
The two finished 72-holes tied at 20-under. Both parred the 18th the first time around then after Maggert pulled his approach 30 feet left of the hole, Singh stuffed a wedge within two feet and tapped in after Maggert’s putt missed.
“I told my caddie that five-under every day was par. I thought 20-under would be close.”
It was more than close it was right on the number. Singh’s win earned him a spot in the 2019 Players Championship next March at TPC Sawgrass.
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