Tom Kim expressed his regrets to U.S. captain Jim Furyk and player Xander Schauffele on Sunday, following remarks he made that stirred some controversy during the 2024 Presidents Cup.
Kim, 22, had stated on Saturday that certain unnamed members of the U.S. team were “cursing at us” during their foursomes match, where he and partner Si Woo Kim faced off against Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
“The beginning of the round was definitely tough, but as we progressed, things got a bit heated,” Kim commented on Saturday. “I could hear some players yelling at us, and I felt that there wasn’t any good sportsmanship in that. However, I understand it’s all part of the game.”
Returning to the Royal Montreal Golf Club on Sunday, Kim played to a tie against Sam Burns. After the match, he approached both Furyk and Schauffele before addressing reporters in the wake of the Americans’ 18 1/2-11 1/2 win over the International team.
“I just wanted to talk about my earlier comments,” Kim explained regarding his discussion with Furyk and Schauffele. “I mentioned that I didn’t intend for my words to be taken negatively. If they were, I’m sorry. My feelings were affected by some remarks I overheard while we were off the green, and I felt it was important to share my perspective.”
“At that moment, I didn’t realize it might be perceived as negative. I genuinely meant no harm. When competing against Patrick and Xander, I’ve always respected them as fierce competitors who exemplify sportsmanship. The issue arose outside of the match, and I feel it was a misunderstanding on my part that I should have clarified better.”
“So when I spoke with them, I said, ‘I didn’t intend for it to come across that way. If my comments were taken negatively, I sincerely apologize. I just wanted to convey what I experienced, but I never meant any harm.’
Schauffele opted not to elaborate on his discussion with Kim that day.