South Korean Golfer Kim Si-woo Is Close to Winning the British Open!

What Is Happening?

The British Open is the last big, super-important golf tournament for men this year. It is called a "major." After three rounds of playing, a golfer from South Korea named Kim Si-woo is doing really well and has a chance to win on the final day.

How Did Kim Si-woo Play?

On Saturday (the third round), Kim played at a golf course called Royal Birkdale in England.

• He shot a score of 3-under 67. ("Under" means he finished the round with fewer hits than the course expected. A lower number is better!)
• He was hurting in his legs and had to take medicine for the pain.
• He made 4 birdies (that means 1 shot less than normal on a hole) and 1 bogey (1 shot more than normal).
• His total after 3 rounds is 8-under 202.

Important Point: Kim is tied for 2nd place, only 2 shots behind the leader. One shot in golf is a big deal!

Who Is Winning and Who Is Close?

Here are the other important players:

• Sam Burns is alone in 1st place. He was supposed to skip the tournament because his wife was about to have a baby. But the baby girl came early, so he got to play—and now he might win his first major!
• Ryan Fox is tied with Kim for 2nd. He shot an amazing 10-under 62, the lowest score ever in a major tournament!
• Lucas Herbert tied the major record with a 62 on Friday but slipped to a tie for 4th after a tougher round.
• Bryson DeChambeau is tied for 6th. He got a 2-shot penalty earlier for cheating the rules a little (improving his lie), but he is still close.
• Famous golfers like Scottie Scheffler (defending champ) and Rory McIlroy are further back.

Kim Si-woo’s Round Step-by-Step

Let’s see how his Saturday round went hole by hole:

1. Started with a birdie on hole 2 (a short par-4 he could reach easily).
2. Made another birdie on hole 7 with a small 5-foot, 7-inch putt.
3. On hole 10, he hit the ball into the rough but recovered and made a long 20+ foot birdie putt.
4. On hole 11, he missed a par putt (about 11 feet) and dropped a shot (bogey).
5. On hole 17, he hit a great shot and made a birdie to finish strong.

Kim said: "It was tough off the tee and the greens were very challenging. Making a few difficult putts really helped me put together a good score today."

Kim’s Leg Problem

Kim was limping while playing. He explained:

• He changed the insoles in his shoes last week.
• His right Achilles (a tendon above the heel) hurt on Friday; his left one hurt on Saturday.
• After taking painkillers, he felt better as the round went on.

Other South Korean and Friend Golfers

• Im Sung-jae (also from South Korea) shot 1-under 69 and is tied for 20th.
• Kim is playing his 8th British Open. His best before was tie for 15th in 2022.
• Kim has been steady on the PGA Tour this year.

Important Point: If Kim wins on Sunday, he will be the first South Korean golfer ever to win the British Open!

Summary

Kim Si-woo is tied for 2nd at the British Open with one round left. He played great despite leg pain, shooting 3-under. Sam Burns leads by 2 shots. Ryan Fox set a record with a 62. Kim hopes to make history for South Korea on Sunday.

FAQ

Q1: What does "3-under 67" mean in golf?
A: The course expected 70 hits for the round. Kim used only 67 hits, so he was 3 under the expected number. Lower is better!

Q2: Why did Sam Burns almost miss the tournament?
A: He planned to stay home for his baby’s birth, but his daughter arrived early, so he could play.

Q3: What is a major championship?
A: It is one of the four biggest and most important golf tournaments in a year. The British Open is the last one for men this season.

Q4: What is a birdie and a bogey?
A: A birdie is finishing a hole with 1 less hit than normal. A bogey is 1 more hit than normal.

Q5: Has a South Korean won the British Open before?
A: No. Kim Si-woo is trying to become the first one if he wins on Sunday.