Sihwan Kim’s last two years have been nothing short of a rollercoaster. From the high of his 2022 International Series Thailand win and competing alongside some of the sport’s biggest names, to the low of relegation from LIV Golf League and a dip in confidence.
Back in 2022, Kim showed promise when he won the inaugural International Series event at Black Mountain and followed it with a victory at the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Stableford Challenge. That season, he also claimed the Asian Tour Order of Merit and finished fifth at LIV Golf Bangkok.
But 2023 was a different story. Confidence eluded him, and his form dropped significantly.
In 12 LIV Golf starts, Kim only managed one finish above 40th place — 33rd at LIV Golf Bedminster — and posted just one-under-par score all season.
There’s hope for a turnaround, though. His recent nine-under 63 on the final day of the Black Mountain Championship saw him finish T9, showing flashes of his former self.
With that confidence boost, Kim now heads to this week’s International Series Thailand, eager to find his winning form once more.
Kim reflected on his struggles and progress: “I’m just trying to play my game. I was struggling last year, and low on confidence.
I have seen some improvement this year but I still haven’t had many big finishes… I just need to keep on playing and then try to find a swing that works at my age because I am getting that little bit older and you feel like you’re doing the same, but it’s not producing the same results. I’m trying to find something that works.”
A former U.S. Junior Champion, Kim first joined LIV Golf in 2022 and secured his 2023 spot by finishing in the top 24.
However, a drop in form saw him relegated at the end of last season after finishing 50th in the standings. Since then, he’s been grinding to regain that spark and return to LIV Golf.
Reflecting on his experience in LIV Golf, Kim said, “It was great. I mean, without LIV Golf, I’d probably never play with guys like DJ (Dustin Johnston) and Brooks (Brooks Koepka) and Phil Mickelson and players like that.
Just to get that experience with those guys you know, you look at it a little differently, and then see what you can work on to improve your game.
“Last year, I played with Phil Mickelson quite a bit, because he didn’t play that well, and then I was in the bottom of the pack as well and, you know just his attitude towards the game, he is just an incredible guy and got to play with Brooks and DJ as well and those guys are just on a different level.”
Kim’s 2022 International Series win opened doors for him, including a two-year run with LIV Golf. Looking back, he called it “life-changing (his win at International Series Thailand).
Obviously, what happened after that I played on LIV Golf for two years, and just the amount of money I made out of that it changed my life and International Series Thailand was my first win, as a professional.
“For us to have The International Series all throughout the year, having 10 of them this year yeah it helps us a lot.”
This year also saw a personal milestone for Kim, as he tied the knot. Despite the ups and downs of his golfing career, Kim looks forward with optimism, ready to tackle the rest of the season and beyond.
The International Series continues to heat up, with four events scheduled in the coming six weeks, leading to the prestigious PIF Saudi International in December.
For more on the International Series, visit www.internationalseries.com.
