Much transpired at Augusta National’s 15th hole for Si Woo Kim on Friday afternoon. By that point, Kim, a 25-year-old from South Korea, was tied for fifth and in contention at the Masters.
But that’s also where Kim had to trade out his putter on the greens for his 3-wood. When Kim slammed the flatstick head-first into the ground in anger next to the 15th green, it broke. That meant he could no longer use the putter to finish his round, and out came the 3-wood.
Remarkably, Kim made par at the par-5 15th. He threw his golf ball in the water anyway.
The moment Si Woo Kim broke his putter.
pic.twitter.com/1orbUx7XYB
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 9, 2021
At No. 16, he nearly made a left-to-right breaker for birdie with the metalwood. He walked away with par there instead.
Kim managed to par out with the 3-wood in hand, though he had a decent look at birdie from about 13 feet on the par-4 18th. His 3-under 69 left him at 4 under for the tournament, three shots behind Justin Rose and tied for sixth.
Kim’s choice of replacement “putter” sparked the question: What club is most useful in the event that a player breaks his putter mid-round?
So Woo is three back and broke his putter!!!
— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) April 9, 2021