CROMWELL, Conn. — The chaos started well before Tom Kim converted a 10-foot-six-inch putt on the 18th green at TPC River Highlands.
But the actions of protesters just minutes before Kim’s putt escalated everything.
Five protesters who wore shirts that read: “No Golf On A Dead Planet” were tackled, body-slammed and escorted out of the 2024 Travelers Championship in handcuffs.
You can watch it here:
Kim, meanwhile, needed to put the out-of-body experience in the back of his mind and convert the 10-footer for a match-tying birdie. That’s exactly what he did.
Kim, though, said it felt like a “dream.”
“It kind of took the meaning of the putt kind of away for a second,” Kim said after Scottie Scheffler won the 2024 Travelers Championship following a one-hole playoff.
“Because for the past 17 and a half holes all you’re thinking about is golf, and suddenly when that happens you’re just like, your mind goes into a complete — you’re almost not even playing golf anymore. I thought it was a dream for a second.
“Like the security guards were tackling people and people were getting arrested, like it’s just, it’s really hard to see nowadays,” Kim continued. “Like I said, again, it kind of felt like it took my mind off of the moment and just kind of realized what was happening and obviously even though those people did something bad, you still don’t want them to get hurt, because obviously the police are trying to protect the players and stuff, I get it, but you still don’t want people to get hurt and I think it just kind of personally just took my mind away from golf a little bit and worried about something else.”
While it might have made the putt feel less important, Kim found the bottom of the cup. His 10-footer tied Scheffler for the lead at 22-under and forced the two to replay the 18th hole.
Kim hit his approach shot into the sand and hit it 36 feet past the hole on his bunker attempt. Scheffler, who hit his approach shot to 11 feet, easily two-putted for the win.
Kim said he appreciated the swift action from police, who quickly responded to the five protesters. Cheers for police and chants of “USA! USA!” echoed thereafter.
