2022 CHAMPION TOM KIM WILL DEFEND HIS WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Defending champion Tom Kim, who won last year’s Wyndham Championship after closing with the lowest final-round score in tournament history, will return to Sedgefield Country Club to defend his title, the tournament announced today. The 84th annual Wyndham Championship is set for Aug. 2-6, 2023 at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.
One year ago, Kim, who is 25th in the current FedExCup point standings and 25th in the Official World Golf Rankings, opened the Wyndham Championship with a quadruple bogey but went onto finish the opening round with a 3-under par 67 to put himself near the lead, and he was tied for the lead through 36 holes. In the final round, Kim tied Brandt Snedeker’s front-side scoring record making the turn with an 8-under par 27 on his way to a final-round 61 and a five-stroke victory setting the tournament record for lowest final-round score and lowest final-round score by a tournament winner. He became the first player in PGA TOUR history to open with quadruple bogey and go onto win the tournament.
“I’ve never won a golf tournament with a quad,” Kim said after the win last August. “I played great this week. It was hard to stay in the moment in the final round just knowing that I was so close, but I never let my guard down until I holed that putt on 18. I don’t really get a chance to play (much) in the U.S. just because of being new here. For people to call, ‘Let’s Go, Tom’ today was really helpful, and it gave me the energy to keep playing better. This is just a start for me, and I still have so much I want to accomplish. We bought the car, we just need to drive it, so hopefully I keep pushing that pedal.”
Already a six-time winner internationally, Kim became the first player born in the 2000s to win a PGA TOUR event, the youngest winner in Wyndham Championship history at 20 years, one month and 17 days old, the second-youngest PGA TOUR winner since World War II and the first player in PGA TOUR history to open a tournament with a quadruple bogey and go on to win. He is the tournament’s 20th first-time winner, its 20th international winner and the third South Korean champion in tournament history.
“Having Tom back at Sedgefield to defend his title is major news for the Wyndham Championship,” executive director Mark Brazil said. “We all saw the show Tom put on here last year with that final-round 61, and with what he did at the Presidents Cup last year, it’s been fun to watch him become an international sensation. I know he’s looking forward to returning to Sedgefield, and I hope our fans will give him a huge defending champion welcome.”
After winning the Wyndham Championship, Kim debuted in the FedExCup point standings at No. 34, secured his PGA TOUR card and moved into the FedExCup Playoffs. After missing the TOUR Championship, he represented the International Team in the Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte. While the United States team won the event, Kim led the international squad, and his youthful enthusiasm made him an almost instant international superstar moving up to No. 15 in the Official World Golf Rankings at that time. Now a resident of Dallas, Kim earned his second PGA TOUR victory last fall at the Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas.
Wyndham Championship tickets are on sale now. Grounds tickets include access to such fan-favorite venues as Margaritaville at the Wyndham, the Sunbrella Wine Deck, the Truist Fan Pavilion, the Tito’s Stillhouse and more. Get your tickets today by visiting https://www.wyndhamchampionship.com/spectators/tickets/
About the Wyndham Championship:
Contested annually on the Donald Ross-designed course at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., the Wyndham Championship was founded in 1938 and is the seventh-oldest event on the PGA TOUR excluding the Majors. The tournament thanks title sponsor Wyndham Rewards and presenting sponsor Truist for their continued support. Additional tournament information is available at www.wyndhamchampionship.com and the tournament’s social media channels, including the Wyndham Championship Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram.
About Wyndham Rewards
Named the number one hotel rewards program by readers of USA TODAY, Wyndham Rewards® is the world’s most generous rewards program with more than 50,000 hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals worldwide. Designed for the everyday traveler, members earn a guaranteed 1,000 points with every qualified stay and may redeem points for a wide range of rewards, including free nights at any of approximately 9,100 hotels or tens of thousands of vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally through affiliation with Wyndham Destinations and others. Wyndham Rewards has approximately 101 million enrolled members around the globe. Join for free today at www.wyndhamrewards.com. You’ve earned this.®
About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts:
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world’s largest hotel franchising company by the number of properties, with approximately 9,100 hotels across over 95 countries on six continents. Through its network of approximately 845,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 24 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, Trademark Collection® and Wyndham®. The Company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers approximately 101 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com.
About Club Wyndham:
Club Wyndham® is the flagship vacation ownership brand as part of Wyndham Destinations, the world’s largest vacation ownership business. From the busy streets of the Big Apple to the calming shores of Hawaii, Club Wyndham owners have access to more than 100 resorts to unlock new cities, new experiences and new destinations. Club Wyndham lets travelers spark their sense of adventure with spacious resort suites featuring the comforts of home, including fully equipped kitchens, separate living and dining areas, and separate bedrooms, plus resort amenities and quality service. Wander across town, across the country or across the ocean – no matter what’s on your travel bucket list, Club Wyndham offers the chance to live it. All Club Wyndham resorts participate in Wyndham Rewards®, the number one hotel rewards program as named by readers of USA TODAY, and the world’s most generous rewards program with more than 50,000 hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals worldwide. Club Wyndham is part of Travel + Leisure Co. (NYSE: TNL) and its portfolio of travel businesses. For more information, visit ClubWyndham.com. Connect with us on Twitter: @ClubWyndham; Facebook: @ClubWyndham; and Instagram: @ClubWyndham.
Courtesy of Rob Goodman, Wyndham Championship Director of Media Relations