Tom Kim admitted he missed the anonymity of playing in tournaments without widespread television coverage after an embarrassing incident at Oak Hill.
Kim unwittingly provided the viral moment of day one of the US PGA Championship after an errant tee shot on the par-four sixth, his 15th of the day.
The world number 19 thought he could play his ball from the edge of the hazard but discovered the ground was considerably softer and muddier than he anticipated.
Television footage captured Kim emerging with his legs covered in mud and kept rolling as he decided he may as well find a cleaner part of the creek in which to wash his legs and trousers.
“I miss days when I played on a Tour without cameras.” @KiraDixon asking Tom Kim about THAT viral moment
pic.twitter.com/0ETpW7tpjc
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) May 19, 2023
“I think the world has seen enough already of it,” Kim joked as he was shown the footage while speaking to Sky Sports following a round of 73.
“But I hit it over in the mud and I was hoping I was able to find it. I wasn’t able to find it and there was a moment where my legs were inside the mud and I wasn’t able to get myself out for a minute.
“I was talking to Joe (Skovron, his caddie) and said I might as well go in the water and wash myself off and I took a bath over there. I’ve had better days for sure.”
The incident took place shortly before play was suspended late on Thursday evening and Kim had hoped there would be no footage, adding: “I miss the days when I played on a Tour without cameras.”
