Tom Kim’s life-changing win, Michael Block’s golf cart scare and our course tweet that made a difference

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we are still drying off after a golf trip to Hilton Head. The vibes are always high when my high school friends get together, but so is the humidity. We’ve now had some pretty unfortunate weather in three of the four years since we started our annual trip. And as a result of that—and other travel circumstances—we decided that no winner would be declared this year. The good news? My girls get another year of having our championship (toy) belt. The bad news? I’m still mired in a miserable slump on the course. In any event, let’s get to everything else happening in the world of golf.

WE’RE BUYING

Tom Kim: This might be the most meaningful win of 2026. It’s certainly the most important victory of Kim’s career as his Asian Games triumph now makes him exempt from South Korea’s mandatory military service.

Talk about coming through under pressure. And a life-changing victory. As a big Tom Kim fan—my “Ballad of Tommy the Kid” needs another update—I’m happy to see that weight lifted off his shoulders. Hopefully, this frees the talented 24-year-old up to do even bigger and better things on the course. And after winning this and the Scottish Open and nearly leading the Internationals to a Presidents Cup upset in the past few months, Kim looks like he's back in peak form.

Austin Smotherman: OK, so this one was pretty darn meaningful as well. The journeyman with an incredible last name earned his maiden PGA Tour win at the Bank of Utah Championship in his 100th career PGA Tour start and more than 10 years after turning pro. And he was understandably emotional after closing things out.

Not bad for a guy who only played in his first major this year. And a guy who has gone through all of this to get to this point:

Smotherman’s eyes were watery after this long-awaited win, but the Utah desert sure looked dry. Hmm. Maybe the Pelham Guys Golf Trip needs to go west next year . . .

Jeeno Thitikul: Around these parts, Jets fans are not feeling too good about having Geno (Smith) at QB, but golf fans should appreciate Jeeno more. With a win at the Lotte Championship, the former World No. 1 now has four wins on the season, 11 LPGA Tour titles overall and more than $20 million in career earnings. Although, after, she explained that she doesn’t actually have $20 million thanks to a little thing called taxes:

She’s a character. And a great player. And it’s just a matter of time before she starts winning majors.

WE’RE SELLING

Tony Romo’s Friday: The ex-Dallas Cowboy officially became an ex-CBS analyst during the middle of his round on Friday. Even worse for Romo? He was playing in a Q School pre-qualifying round in Oklahoma when it happened. And he was doing well.

After the news broke, however, Romo stumbled to a 74 and failed to advance. With his falls now opened up on his calendar for the foreseeable future, he is officially invited to join the Pelham Guys Golf Trip next year.

Playing in the rain: I’ve been in it a lot of late, both as a player and caddie, and it doesn’t get any easier. Actually, it’s probably even worse as a caddie. But I’m not alone as the Boston Celtics were also in South Carolina and had their golf plans wrecked by Mother Nature. And even as a Knicks fan (Knicks in 5!) who hates the Celtics, I still felt bad for them. And I respect the heck out of Payton Pritchard, who really, really didn’t want to give up on playing. “He’s texting me in the middle of a flood warning, saying, ‘Hey, we can still get out there. It’s just sprinkling,’” Mike Conley told CelticsBlog of Pritchard. ”I’m like, ‘Bro, it’s not happening today.’” Pritchard’s response? “Mike bailed.” Sounds like Pritchard would dominate my golf trip.

Blockie’s golf cart scare: If there had been video of this, Golf Twitter may have exploded. Instead, we got some details from Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine concerning another golf cart crashing into Michael Block’s cart during the final round of the PGA Tour Champions’ Jefferson Lehigh Valley Championship.

What a wild scene. Thank goodness Blockie was OK. Although, considering he only shot one under par that day, maybe he wasn’t 100 percent after the incident. America’s favorite PGA pro finished solo third for another great result, but hopefully, that first win is coming.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour heads to Japan for the Baycurrent Classic, AKA that one that used to be called the Zozo Championship, AKA that one Tiger Woods won for his 82nd (and final?) PGA Tour title in 2019. Wow, time flies. The LPGA Tour takes a week off, but the DP World Tour has the Spanish Open, the Korn Ferry Tour wraps up with its Tour Championship and the senior circuit rolls on—hopefully, without any golf cart accidents this week—with the Constellation Furyk & Friends, arguably the best tournament name on the calendar.

Random tournament fact: Max Greyserman has finished runner-up at the Baycurrent Classic/Zozo Championship the past two years. And both were by a single stroke, including a close call to Xander Schauffele last year.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—Tiger Woods will ever win the Baycurrent Classic ever again: 1 MILLION-to-1-odds

—Xander Schauffele will win the Baycurrent again this year: 9-to-1 odds (Favorite)

—It will rain less in Hilton Head this weekend: LOCK

TWEET OF THE WEEK

Throwing it back a couple months to this tweet by little, old me that wound up being a big part of a great story by The Athletic’s Gabby Herzig, a former Golf Digest employee, on the conditions mess at Yale following its big $30 million renovation:

As Gabby reported, even Gil Hanse, who oversaw the two-year renovation is upset about the current “maintenance” situation. And now the Yale athletic department isn’t running the course, but rather the school’s university operations. And that “Conversations ramped up after Golf Digest writer Alex Myers posted an unflattering series of photos of the weather-ridden conditions on X in August.” Let’s hope this change makes a difference at what is an incredible property. Regardless, it’s good to know that the power of the pen—or, in this case, tweet—still exists.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

It’s tough to top a trophy photo on the Swilcan Bridge. Congrats to Adrien Meronk on winning on the DP World Tour for the first time in three years. It’s also the first win for the former LIV player that didn’t come under the lights in three years.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Man, that guy couldn’t have picked a worse spot for his clubhead to snap off. BUT . . . at least he and his buddies weren’t playing in the rain.

THIS WEEK IN CELEBRITY GOLFERS

Piers Morgan didn’t exactly bring the Road Hole to its knees during the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship:

Hey, at least he didn’t hurt anyone staying at the Old Course Hotel.

THIS WEEK IN PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

Austin Smotherman got the traditional LPGA winner’s treatment for his maiden PGA Tour title:

Aww. That’s a LOT better than getting rained on.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“My gosh, we won on the PGA Tour. That’s insane.” —Austin Smotherman.

Congrats, Austin. What a feeling that must be.

THIS AND THAT

Michael Block now has his PGA Tour Champions card after his latest great finish. What a run it’s been for Block, minus getting hit by a golf cart. . . . Congrats to Steven Alker on winning his fourth senior event of the season and 14th overall. But, geez, can he let Block win one of these Sundays? . . . Kapalua’s Plantation Course may have lost the PGA Tour, but it’s gaining the LPGA for next year’s Lotte Championship. We’re going to need Mark Rolfing on the coverage discussing the Hawaiian trade winds. . . . The USGA has unveiled some great upgrades to its GHIN app that I had been testing all golf season. Unfortunately, I can confirm these enhancements do not mean your Handicap Index will go down. . . . And, finally, here’s a good pic of our crew near the Harbour Town lighthouse when it wasn’t raining: