Ex-Cal Golfer Michael Kim Earns Share of 2nd Place at Phoenix Open

Thomas Detry clinches his first career PG Tour victory with birdies on the final four holes

Michael Kim / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michael Kim finally suffered his first bogey of the week on Sunday but the 31-year-old former Cal golfer completed four impressive days at the Phoenix Open by tying for second place at TPC Scottsdale.

Kim shot a final-round 67 to finish 72 holes at 17 under, tied with Daniel Berger. There was no catching Thomas Detry.

The 32-year-old Belgian scored his first PGA Tour victory after closing Sunday with birdies on his final four holes to score a 6-under 65. He finished 24 under, seven strokes clear of the rest of the field.

Kim, whose only Tour victory came at the 2018 John Deere Classic, began the day as part of a four-way tie for second place, five strokes back of Detry. He and Berger got within two strokes by mid-afternoon but could not chase him down.

A former Cal teammate of Max Homa, Kim played the first three days of this event without a bogey. The streak ended at 57 holes — an impressive run — when he scored a 4 on the par-3 fourth hole.

But he was right back on track with a birdie on No. 6 and then strung together three in a row over Nos. 13, 14 and 15. Kim had pars on the final three holes but no matter what he did the rest of the way, he wasn’t going  to catch Detry.

Kim and Berger each collected $818,800 while Detry pocketed $1,656,000 for his victory.

Kim shot rounds of 69, 63, 68 and 67 over four days on the par-71 course for his most consistent tournament in quite some time. He had never before finished second in a PGA Tour event.