Tom Kim suggested that his Team USA rivals should have conceded the putt (Image: SKY SPORTS)
Tom Kim showed his frustration with a sarcastic gesture behind the backs of his Team USA rivals on day three of the Presidents Cup. The 22-year-old teamed up with Si Woo Kim in the foursomes on Saturday evening to face Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele.
Tensions began to rise between rival players as the International Team attempted to claw back an 8-6 deficit ahead of the final day. Kim was left visibly frustrated on the par-three seventh hole after being forced to play a putt just feet away from the cup.
After his team-mate’s birdie attempt fell short of the hole, Kim looked to Cantlay and Schauffele in the hope they would concede the following putt. They were unmoved, though, meaning that Kim had to finish the job with a simple tap-in from around three feet.
The 22-year-old was frustrated that he was made to play the putt from around three feet (Image: GETTY)
As he retrieved his ball from the cup, Cantlay and Schauffele began to walk towards the eighth tee box in preparation for the following hole. It was at this point that Kim laid down his club next to the hole, illustrating just how short the putt was.
He refused to let his frustrations die down, shaking his head and throwing his arms around while following his team-mate to the next hole. Kim was clearly adamant that he should have been awarded a gimme rather than being made to play the shot for par.
after being denied a gimme by Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland. He rested his putter on the green while looking directly at his two rivals, suggesting they should have conceded the putt.
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Kim, meanwhile, was involved in another flashpoint on day one of the Presidents Cup . The two players, who are good friends away from the course, exchanged verbal taunts on the seventh and eighth holes.
After rolling in a birdie putt, Kim celebrated wildly and screamed: “Let’s go!” which appeared to rile Scheffler as he watched nearby. Moments later, the reigning Masters champion returned the favour shortly after halving the hole, shouting at Kim: “What was that?”
Kim ramped up the celebrations once again following another successful birdie attempt on the eighth hole, before walking over to the ninth tee box while Scheffler was still putting. The latter did not react but Kim’s behaviour raised a few eyebrows in the Sky Sports studio.
Paul McGinley, who captained Team Europe to Ryder Cup glory in 2014, was not impressed with Kim and said: “That’s bordering on bad behaviour there. That’s disrespectful in my opinion.”