2023 Shriners Children’s Open leaderboard, grades: Tom Kim emerges from crowded pack to defend crown

Tom Kim emerged from a crowded leaderboard Sunday at TPC Summerlin to claim the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open. Getting to 20 under, the South Korean outpaced Adam Hadwin by one stroke thanks to clutch shots down the stretch. With his triumph, Kim becomes the second player to successfully defend a tournament this season, joining world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler at the WM Phoenix Open. The 21-year-old also becomes the youngest three-time winner on the PGA Tour since Tiger Woods.

Kim’s last victory came on these Las Vegas grounds a year ago. Though he hadn’t returned to the winner’s circle since, Kim’s quality never wavered. He arrived at this year’s tournament fresh off seven top 25s in a row with a notable runner-up performance at The Open on an injured ankle.

“It was a long day,” said Kim. “I really felt confident in myself, and I was playing really well. I knew if I just did me I was going to be able to do it. It’s been a long season, it’s almost a year later and here we are again. I am very fortunate to defend. Glory to the man above for guiding me, and I have learned so much this year and it has been such a blessing and very humbling. I am stoked to get this one for our team.”

A member of Sunday’s final pair alongside Hadwin, Kim saw his name drift from the top of the leaderboard before he stuck a peg in the ground. With as many as 12 players within two strokes of the lead, Kim remained patient and let the golf course come to him. Three early birdies helped his name rise up the board, but turbulence arrived soon after on his front nine. Back-to-back dropped shots on Nos. 5-6 tested his mettle as birdies flew around his head.

With Ludvig Aberg firing a sizzling 62 and Eric Cole matching him near after to post the clubhouse lead at 18 under, player after player came to the par-4 finisher looking to outdo the 18-under number. They all arrived and failed. J.T. Poston, Alex Noren and Taylor Pendrith were unable to convert makable birdie bids on their 72nd holes.

Kim caught fire around the turn with three birdies in a five-hole stretch. Hadwin followed suit, and the Canadian playing partner all of a sudden became Kim’s deadliest threat. Birdies were exchanged on the short par-4 15th, setting the stage for the deciding moment of the tournament.

With Kim on the putting surface in two on the par-5 16th, Hadwin stepped to his approach and dumped it woefully short into the water lining the front of the green. A bogey arrived minutes later, and despite Kim needing three putts and forfeiting an assumed birdie, his lead had doubled to two. That was all Kim needed over the final two holes, and a couple of pars allowed for a stress-free stroll into the winner’s circle.

“No. 3 sounds a lot better than No. 2,” said Kim. “I feel like after last year after going on such a great run and not feeling exactly myself mid year, it’s been a grind trying to figure it out. It’s obviously my first full season, and I am just trying to live up to the expectations of a great year last year and how can I be better. It’s been tough, it’s been great sometimes, it’s been humbling. No. 3 is so sweet.” Grade: A+

Here are grades for the rest of the leaderboard at the Shriners Children’s Open.

T3. Eric Cole (-18): The former mini tour legend was the first to post 18 under and held the clubhouse lead for a couple of hours before he was finally overtaken. Cole’s play in Vegas marked yet another quality outing in his rookie season, and a breakthrough victory appears to be on the door step. The PGA Tour Rookie of the Year frontrunner now has eight top 20s and four top fives, including two in his three FedEx Cup Fall starts. Grade: A

T13. Ludvig Aberg (-16): A busy month and a half has come to an end for the Swedish superstar. Teeing it up in five of the last six weeks, Aberg enjoyed a solid stretch that included winning on the DP World Tour, playing in the Ryder Cup and losing in a playoff at the Sanderson Farms Championship. A final-round 62 was too little too late at the Shriners, but Aberg once again confirmed his potential is through the roof. He began the FedEx Cup Fall 136th in the season-long race and has already moved himself inside the top 100 after just two outings. 

“It’s been unbelievable,” said Aberg. “I’ve had the time of my life. I wouldn’t want to change it for anything. But I am a little bit tired. It was really cool for me to go out and play as well as I did today, but yeah, looking forward to a couple of days off.” Grade: A

T18. Cameron Champ (-15): It was another strong showing from the three-time PGA Tour winner. Champ struggled over the weekend after holding the lead at halfway point, but he showed resolve with six birdies in his last 10 holes to end his tournament. Having missed 17 of 26 cuts this season, Champ is finding his footing this fall. He parlayed his top 10 at the Sanderson Farms Championship to a top 20 at the Shriners Children’s Open. Grade: B+

MC. Si Woo Kim (—): Kim arrived in Las Vegas having just claimed the gold medal at the Asian Games and thus earned an exemption from mandatory military service. The good vibes stopped there. The South Korean was an early exit and never quite looked comfortable at TPC Summerlin. The 28-year-old will be fine moving forward, but this showing reeks of disappointment considering his quality compared to the rest of the field. Grade: F

MC. Lexi Thompson (—): The decision to extend Thompson a sponsor’s exemption was an all around success. She battled tough in Round 1 and had the golf world buzzing when she got to 4 under through her first 11 holes of her second round. Thompson just needed to play her last seven holes in 1 under to make it to the weekend, but she instead back tracked to card a 36-hole total of even-par 142. The 11-time LPGA winner brought a ton of attention to an event that may have otherwise been lacking it during this sleepy portion of the schedule.

“It was more energizing,” said Thompson. “Seeing the people out there and hearing the cheers and seeing all the little kids, that’s what I play for. I think I said that on the last hole. A little kid screamed out, go Lexi, you’re great, and that just makes my day. No matter what I’m shooting, I could shoot 80, and they’d be like, you did great. That’s what it’s all about, just inspiring.” Grade: A+