A new putter is helping Tom Kim find his groove at Pebble Beach, where the 22-year-old sits just two shots back heading into the final round.
It’s been a tough start to 2024 for Kim. He struggled at the Sony Open with a T65 finish and missed the cut at The American Express. But things are looking up now.
“I just felt like I needed something a little bit more consistent and something that I’ve won with,” Kim said about his switch to a new Scotty Cameron blade putter.
He’s putting lights out this week, ranking in the top 10 for Strokes Gained: Putting at Pebble Beach.
The young star has made some interesting changes to his putting setup. He’s taken inspiration from his buddy and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, ditching the line on his golf ball. He’s also switched to a thinner grip.
But what’s really catching eyes is his unique alignment aid. Kim spotted the design on PGA Tour rookie Tim Widing’s putter and liked what he saw – it has two lines, one parallel to the face at the back and another pointing toward the target.
The putter itself is part of Scotty Cameron’s new 2024 Studio Style line. It features some pretty cool tech, including a special chain-link face insert made from something called Studio Carbon Steel.
This is quite a change for Kim, who had been using various Scotty Cameron mallets, including a Phantom 9.2 Tour Prototype he switched to during the Olympics last August.
The change seems to be paying off. After helping his Jupiter Links GC team to victory in the TGL, Kim’s carrying that momentum into this week at one of golf’s most iconic venues.
With the final round ahead and just two shots separating him from the lead, we might be seeing the start of a hot streak for the three-time PGA Tour winner.
