Byron Nelson: 16-year-old Kris Kim stuns golf world, youngest to make cut since 2015

When 16-year-old Kris Kim arrived at TPC Craig Ranch earlier this week for the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, he had one purpose in thoughts: make the cut.

That goal turned a actuality on Friday night, as Kim carded a 4-under 67 to make the cut by two photographs.

In doing so, Kim turned the youngest participant to make a PGA Tour cut since Kyle Suppa made the weekend on the 2015 Sony Open in Hawaii. He additionally turned the youngest participant to make the cut in CJ Cup Byron Nelson historical past, surpassing Jordan Spieth, who did so at 16 years, 9 months, and 24 days.

Kim is at the moment two months youthful than Spieth was on the time.

“It feels pretty good. I feel like I’ve played well over the last two days,” Kim stated.

“Stayed pretty patient out there. Yeah, I guess it worked.”

Kim opened his second spherical by making 4 birdies over his first six holes, with a bogey on the par-3 4th sandwiched in between them.

He added one other par-breaker on the par-5 ninth gap to end with a 4-under 32 on the entrance 9. By that juncture, he was nicely above the cut line at 7-under par for the championship and nicely on his manner to making historical past.

But some adversity started to creep his manner into his spherical. Missed alternatives on the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth holes stored Kim at bay, after which he dropped a shot on the par-4 thirteenth. He drove his tee shot into the bunker there, which despatched Kim again to 6-under. At that time, he was one shot above the cut, with nerves settling in.

“I guess I was,” Kim stated with a smile when requested if he had some nerves down the stretch on Friday.

Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images

“It wasn’t too bad. It’s golf at the end of the day.”

He additionally revealed that he and his caddy ignored the leaderboards after the fifteenth gap, focusing solely on the current. They didn’t need to get distracted, nor did they intend to overthink the duty at hand.

Pars at 16 and 17 adopted earlier than Kim stepped up to the par-5 18th, the second-easiest gap of the week so far.

“To be honest, it being a par-5, it’s pretty helpful,” Kim stated of how he felt on the final tee field.

“But, yeah, I mean, there is always going to be nerves when you’re on the cut line—whatever the tournament.”

Somehow, Kim managed to calm these nerves and make a simple birdie. He laid up on the 552-yard gap, sticking a wedge from 91 yards out to six toes for his third, organising a golden alternative. He cashed in on the ultimate inexperienced, undertaking the purpose he set forth earlier within the week.

“I’m happy,” Kim added. “I can’t wait to get started again [on Saturday].”

Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be positive to try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.