Tom Kim apologizes for damaging locker following playoff loss in South Korea

Tom Kim apologized Monday after it was revealed that he damaged his clubhouse locker following a playoff loss Sunday at the Genesis Championship.

Kim lipped out a putt on the final hole of regulation to win and then made bogey on the first extra hole to lose to Ben An in the co-sanctioned event in South Korea.

Afterward, a reader sent a photo to the Yonhap News Agency that showed damage to Kim’s locker in the clubhouse, with Kim later telling Korean newspaper Sports Donga that the damage was his fault. It was reported by South Korean outlets that the KPGA was set to make Kim pay for the expense, and that the circuit was also exploring disciplinary action.

But Kim took to Instagram on Monday to deny the “false reporting” in those stories, saying that he can “assure you with absolute truth that I had no intent of damaging any part of the locker not a single bit.” Kim added that they had to remove the door of the locker for “safety reasons.”

Kim also confirmed that he’d pay for any damages and pushed back on the reports that the tour was considering disciplinary action, saying that he was told the “matter was considered closed.”

The locker-room incident comes less than three months after Kim was forced to apologize for damaging a green during the FedExCup playoffs. He was also involved in two separate spats at the Presidents Cup, including when he accused his fellow competitors of cursing at him during a match.

A three-time Tour winner, Kim is the first player since Tiger Woods to win twice before the age of 21.