PGA Tour pro Michael Kim describes the intense pressure and anxiety he experienced while leading a tournament, despite the added pressure of needing to secure his Tour card, before ultimately winning his first and only title on Tour so far.
At Glance
‣ Pressure is a privilege
‣ Holding a lead in a PGA Tour event can be incredibly psychologically intense
‣ Players often worry about worst-case scenarios, called catastrophizing
‣ Watching a different sport on TV helped take the golfer’s mind off the tournament pressure
What’s it like on a Saturday night with a big lead lead on the pgatour?
I had a 2 or 3 shot lead after Friday and a 5 shot lead after Saturday. I was already pretty nervous heading into the week because it was my first lead ever but also the 2018 John Deere classic is one of the…
— Michael S. Kim (@Mike_kim714)
Title: Living with the Pressure in Professional Golf: Lessons from PGA Tour Pro Michael Kim
Pressure is a privilege, or so the saying goes. And for those who have ever led a club championship or a medal event, the intense psychological battle that comes with being out in front is all too familiar. But what is it like to be heading up a PGA Tour event? PGA Tour pro Michael Kim detailed his debut experience of holding a final-round lead at the 2018 John Deere Classic, shedding light on the immense pressure he faced.
Kim revealed that his sleep pattern was badly disrupted across the weekend, and he even wondered if he would suddenly forget how to swing a club. “I had a 2 or 3 shot lead after Friday and a 5-shot lead after Saturday,” he recounted. “I was already pretty nervous heading into the week because it was my first lead ever.” With the added pressure of needing a high finish to secure his Tour card, Kim faced immense stress and anxiety.
Having a big lead is both a blessing and a burden, as Kim explained. “While having a big lead is great, it’s also an added pressure because you know that it’s yours to lose. Everyone expects you to win and there’s been many guys in the past that has collapsed under the pressure.” The lack of sleep and the visualization of all the possible scenarios for Sunday kept Kim on edge in the lead-up to the final day of the tournament.
Kim also shared an interesting insight into the mental game of golf, revealing that the human brain has a natural urge to look for the worst-case scenario in a situation, a phenomenon he referred to as “catastrophizing.” “Ur brain will always look for worst-case scenarios in stressful situations because its only job is to survive,” he explained.
However, despite the immense pressure he faced, Kim was able to find some relief by watching a different sport on TV before returning to concentrate on his golf. “Luckily, Wimbledon was on really early and I was able to watch some of that which took my mind off the golf for a bit,” he said. “What’s kind of interesting was that when I got to the golf course, I felt way better.”
As it turned out, Kim began the final round with three consecutive birdies and finished the event on 27-under, ultimately winning the tournament by 8 strokes. Reflecting on the experience, he said, “Waking up at 3am but leaving the hotel at like 10am for the course, that 7hr gap, ur mind goes all over the place ha ha But it clearly worked!”
Despite the pressure, Kim’s victory at the 2018 John Deere Classic serves as a testament to his mental toughness and resilience in the face of intense stress and anxiety. His experience offers valuable insights for aspiring professional golfers and serves as a reminder of the mental fortitude required to succeed in the high-stakes world of professional golf.
