Chan Kim wasted no time heating up at Hurstbourne Country Club — and his Thursday round was nothing short of scorching.
The 35-year-old lit up the leaderboard with a bogey-free, 9-under-par 61 in the opening round of the ISCO Championship, seizing a four-shot lead in the PGA TOUR’s Additional Event co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour. It’s the lowest round of his PGA TOUR career — and it might just be the breakthrough he’s been waiting for.
Hole-Out Eagle Sparks Kim’s Surge
Kim’s round came alive early with a moment of brilliance on the par-4 fourth hole, where he holed out from 123 yards for eagle. That sparked a charge that included seven birdies and flawless ball striking on a hot, humid Kentucky morning.
“The hole-out on 4 definitely kick-started the morning,” Kim said after the round. “I’m really proud of how I played today.”
It’s a major bounce back for Kim, who’s missed six of his last seven cuts. He has been looking to rediscover the form that made him an eight-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour. A native of South Korea who grew up in Hawaii and played his college golf at Arizona State, Kim has yet to win on the PGA TOUR. However, Thursday’s 61 puts him firmly in the driver’s seat.
“I’ve missed the last six out of seven cuts, so that’s a good feeling to kind of not have to really worry about it,” he said. “But, obviously I would love to still play pretty aggressive and see if I can shoot another couple low ones.”
Chasing Pack Includes Shinkwin, Malnati, Rosenmueller
Trailing by four are England’s Callum Shinkwin, Germany’s Thomas Rosenmueller, and American Peter Malnati, all of whom posted 5-under 65s.
Shinkwin kept his round clean and added his own hole-out eagle from 107 yards at the par-4 12th. “I didn’t make any mistakes, which is obviously key,” Shinkwin said. “It’s very easy to lose concentration in the heat.”
Big Opportunity, No Major Invite on the Line
While the ISCO Championship does not offer a Masters invite, the stakes are still high: the winner earns a two-year PGA TOUR exemption and a spot in next year’s PGA Championship.
Notably, no one in the field is heading to The Open Championship next week, leaving this week as a prime chance to secure career-altering momentum. Last year’s winner, Harry Hall, is skipping his title defense after qualifying for The Open and is teeing it up at the Genesis Scottish Open instead.
Notables and Numbers
Steven Fisk leads a group at 66, which includes Troy Merritt, Ángel Ayora, Cristobal Del Solar, and veteran Kevin Kisner. Emiliano Grillo, still recovering from a playoff loss at the John Deere Classic just four days ago, opened with a solid 67.
Auburn standout Jackson Koivun, fresh off a T-11 finish at the John Deere, cooled off with a 72. Kentucky native J.B. Holmes, playing on a sponsor exemption, carded a 74.
Chan Kim came in needing something special and walked off the course with a statement. If he can back it up, his first PGA TOUR title might not be far off.
