Indian-origin trio end with modest finishes as Tom Kim storms to Scottish Open title

Indo-Canadian Sudarshan Yellamaraju, who had been among the surprise performers for much of the week, slipped to tied-52nd after a disappointing closing 7-over 77. Indian-American Sahith Theegala carded a final-round 1-under 71 to finish tied-66th, while reigning PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai had bowed out on Friday after missing the cut.

Khel Today Bureau 

North Berwick, Scotland: The Genesis Scottish Open ended on a subdued note for the Indian-origin players, with none able to mount a challenge on the final day as South Korea’s Tom Kim produced a sparkling finish to clinch his fourth PGA TOUR title.

Indo-Canadian Sudarshan Yellamaraju, who had been among the surprise performers for much of the week, slipped to tied-52nd after a disappointing closing 7-over 77. Indian-American Sahith Theegala carded a final-round 1-under 71 to finish tied-66th, while reigning PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai had bowed out on Friday after missing the cut.

Yellamaraju looked set for a memorable week after rounds of 68 and 65 lifted him into the top-10 at the halfway stage. However, the demanding conditions over the weekend proved difficult to negotiate. The 23-year-old struggled to build on his strong start and a final-round 77 pushed him well down the leaderboard, although his opening two rounds once again highlighted the promise he has shown during his rookie PGA TOUR season.

Theegala, backed by Hero, continued his search for rhythm after returning from injury earlier this year. His closing 71 included steady play but lacked the low scoring needed to climb the leaderboard as he settled for a tied-66th finish. While the result was below expectations, the week provided another opportunity for the 2024 Presidents Cup player to gain competitive momentum ahead of the season’s remaining events.

Rai, who lifted the Scottish Open trophy in 2024 before going on to win the PGA Championship this season, never found his best form. Rounds of 71 and 70 left him short of the cut line, ending his title defence before the weekend.

At the top of the leaderboard, Kim delivered one of the finest rounds of the week. Starting the final day one shot behind the leaders, the 24-year-old fired a flawless bogey-free 64 to finish at 17-under-par, two strokes clear of Australia’s Min Woo Lee.

Kim made an early statement with a birdie at the opening hole and stayed in control throughout the round. The decisive moment came at the par-3 16th, where he struck a superb approach from 203 yards to six feet before converting the birdie that gave him a two-shot advantage.

“That second shot might be one of the best shots I’ve hit in my career so far,” Kim said after sealing the victory.

The triumph ended a wait of 1,001 days since his last PGA TOUR victory at the 2023 Shriners Children’s Open and made him the first South Korean to win the Genesis Scottish Open. It was also his fourth PGA TOUR title, taking him level with Si Woo Kim and behind only K.J. Choi among South Korean players.

Min Woo Lee closed with a 67 to finish runner-up, while defending champion Robert MacIntyre shared third place after a final-round 69 alongside England’s Matt Fitzpatrick, Japan’s Keita Nakajima and American Johnny Keefer.

Keefer’s tied-third finish earned him one of three places available through the Open Qualifying Series for next week’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. The other qualifying spots went to Michael Thorbjornsen and France’s Victor Perez, while Rory McIlroy’s closing 64 lifted him into a share of seventh after an encouraging finish to his home event.