Kim shoots 68, makes Open cut with ankle sprain

HOYLAKE, England — After posting a 3-under 68 within the second spherical of the Open Championship on Friday, Tom Kim had one massive concern: Discovering a wheelchair to assist him get to Royal Liverpool Golf Membership’s clubhouse.

Kim, the Twenty fourth-ranked participant on this planet, mentioned he almost needed to pull out of The Open after severely spraining his proper ankle in a freak accident at his rental dwelling on Thursday evening. The South Korean mentioned he was stepping off the patio and slipped on a moist patch of grass.

“It is a very unlucky factor,” Kim mentioned. “It is fairly bruised. I can not take off my shoe actually. I do not understand how I actually walked. However as soon as the adrenaline popped in I received away with it. Now, I am surviving.”

Kim, 21, mentioned he heard his ankle pop and was recognized with a grade-1 tear. He mentioned his ankle is swollen and bruised, which made it tough for him to placed on and take away his spikes.

“I used to be very near calling it off and never enjoying at present — simply get dwelling and attempt to see a health care provider as a result of it is fairly bruised,” Kim mentioned. “I received some powerful love from my staff, and I used to be advised to suck it up.”

Kim mentioned his coach assured him that he would not do additional harm by enjoying on the sprained ankle. His coach taped the ankle and advised him that the ache would subside after he warmed up and adrenaline took over.

“I positively went on the market with low expectations of I do not know how you can hit the golf ball,” Kim mentioned. “It was positively loads of half-swings. As soon as I began to heat up and get extra snug with it, I used to be in a position to mess around with it.”

Kim, who’s at even par after 36 holes, mentioned his restoration would come with soaking his foot in an ice bathtub and receiving extra remedy.

Kim mentioned he expects to be again on the course Saturday.

“I taped it up rather a lot the place it isn’t going to worsen,” Kim mentioned. “It is simply uncomfortable. I am not going to surrender. It is simply not who I’m.”