Tom Kim was mic’d up for the thirteenth hole by CBS for Saturday’s third spherical.
CBS Sports
You may say CBS’ new phase to mic up gamers for one hole is off to a superb begin.
After Max Homa’s ruling at the Farmers and Keith Mitchell’s caddie backing his participant off a shot, CBS handed a set of AirPods to spunky 20-year-old Tom Kim for the thirteenth hole Saturday at the WM Phoenix Open.
And the PGA Tour’s rising star did not disappoint.
Kim was within the midst of a flat spherical via his first 12 holes. He entered the third spherical at 5 underneath, 5 again of chief Scottie Scheffler, however had solely mustered one bogey and 11 pars up to now.
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He striped his tee shot down the par-5 after which plugged into the published to talk with Jim Nantz and Trevor Immelman who instantly tried to make mild of Kim’s play to date.
“We’re going to bring you a birdie,” Nantz mentioned to greet the World No. 14. Neither Homa nor Mitchell made birdie throughout their mic’d up holes so maybe Nantz was additionally rooting for the brand new bit.
Immelmann then began interviewing Kim about his place on the leaderboard as he walked down the golf green. Then analyst Ian Baker-Finch requested Kim about his caddie Joe Skovron and his expertise at the course.
Skovron was the long-time caddie for Rickie Fowler, successful in Phoenix along with his earlier employer in 2019. Kim and Skovron linked up at the Presidents Cup final September and have already developed critical chemistry every time mics catch their discussions.
“It’s kind of my first year on Tour, so to have someone like him with all the experience in major championships and all the courses I haven’t played and he’s seen it all, It takes all the pressure off the practice rounds,” Kim mentioned. “It saves you a lot of shots per week. It’s special. I got lucky.”
The expertise paid off along with his second shot.
Kim eliminated the earbuds to hit his shot, however the mics stayed shut as he sized up his second shot from 223 yards.
The pair talked via making an attempt to fly the ball round 212 to 215 within the air. Kim grabbed a 4-iron from the bag, however Skovron instantly overrode his man.
“That’s too much,” Skovron mentioned. “That’s landing like five to 10 [yards] on the green.”
Skovron mentioned he solely wished the ball to land only a few yards in need of the inexperienced and chase again to the hole.
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“I was on mid-5 [iron] to almost hard 6, bud,” Skovron mentioned. “A good 5 is landing on. There’s at least 10 yards of help there.”
The veteran looper efficiently pleaded his case and the already two-time PGA Tour winner went again to the bag for the 5-iron.
“What are you going with number-wise?” Skovron requested.
“215, 220?” Kim mentioned.
“It’s 217 front. I like landing it 212 to 215,” Skovron corrected.
“It is downwind, I think it’s a 205 shot,” Kim mentioned.
“I would say 200 shot,” Skovron mentioned as he stepped away. But Kim nonetheless wished yet one more assurance.
“Short’s fine?” Kim requested.
“Short is fine,” Skovron replied with authority.
Kim stepped up to the ball and pured it.
The shot tracer was straight as an arrow earlier than simply falling a bit of proper in opposition to the wind. The ball landed a few yards in need of the inexperienced, simply as Skovron and Kim talked about, rolled over the crest of the ridge in entrance of the pin and settled about 5 toes from the hole for eagle.
It was the closest method shot on 13 all day.
Kim ended up getting a vicious lip out for the eagle strive, however he tapped in for the primary birdie for any of CBS’ guinea pigs for the brand new mic’d up phase.
The irony was all of this came about with Fowler, Skovron’s employer for greater than a dozen years, having a front-row seat, taking part in alongside Kim and Jim Herman.
If there was any concern left in regards to the potential of the interviews to distract the participant, the primary three examples are rapidly dispelling it.
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