MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tom Kim may no longer be ashamed of his high-water pants.
The 21-year-old caused a light-hearted stir Thursday at the FedEx St. Jude Championship when he played the first round with both pantlegs hiked up. Kim, the youngest player in the field, said he did it because he didn’t want to get his clothes dirty.
“It was just kind of how I did it back in the old days,” he said. “I didn’t have unlimited pants, so I had to make sure I was able to use those pants for a really long time, so I had to make sure they stayed really clean.”
Kim briefly brought the fashion statement back Sunday. Possibly for a different reason, though. With heat indices expected to climb past 110 degrees in Memphis during the final round of the tournament, Kim was spotted on the driving range sporting high-waters again.
Tom Kim hits balls on the driving range ahead of the final round of the 2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis. (Photo: Chris Day/The Memphis Commercial Appeal)
However, once the round began, his pants were touching his shoe-tops.
Many took to social media to poke fun at Kim’s wardrobe choice Thursday, and he noticed. So, he did not opt to expose his calves when the heat index reached 110 during Friday’s second round.
“People were having such a big laugh at it, I kind of was worried about it,” Kim said. “No, I had black pants on (Friday), so I didn’t really have an excuse. I’m trying to think what pant colors I have (Saturday). If it’s wet (Saturday), maybe it’s coming back. I played well with it (Thursday), so we’ll see.”
The stifling heat on Friday caused problems for some during the second round, including Kim.
“It was tough. So hot out there, golly. It was so freaking hot,” he said. “Days like this, you’re just grinding it out, making sure − a day like this kind of keeps me in it for the weekend.”
The heat became so searing Friday that Harris English’s caddie, Eric Larson, needed medical attention, according to a report from The Golf Channel. On No. 2 (English’s 11th hole of the day, according to English, Larson bent down to tie his shoe and became wobbly once he stood up.
“I told him to take a knee,” English told Golf Channel. “I grew up in south Georgia and this is the hottest, muggiest day I’ve ever had on the golf course.”
Larson, who was treated with an IV, was replaced by Wyndyke Country Club golf pro Andrew Argotsinger.
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