Michael Kim Flirts With Lead, Winds Up in a Tie for 8th at Rocket Classic

Michael Kim flirted with his first PGA Tour victory in more than eight years before settling for a tie for eighth place at the Rocket Classic in Detroit.

The 33-year-old former Cal star climbed into a tie for second place after consecutive birdies on Nos. 8 and 9 at the Detroit Golf Club. He sank a 23-foot shot out of the rough on the eighth hole, then dropped a 35-foot putt on the ninth.

At 3 under to that point, Kim trailed leader Michael Brennan by just two strokes.

It still figured to be a steep climb to secure his second PGA Tour victory — and first since winning the John Deere Classic in July 2018. But he had a shot.

The euphoria of victory will have to wait for another weekend. Kim didn’t make another birdie the rest of the day and bogeys on Nos. 15 and 18 left him with a 1-under score of 69 for the day and 12 under overall.

On the heels of sharing 10th place last week at the 3M Open Blaine, Minn. — where he fired a near-record 59 in the second round — Kim has now assembled eight consecutive rounds under par.

He shot 65, 67, 67 and 69 this week.

Kim has put together back-to-back top-10 finishes for the first time since placing in a tie for sixth at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches and fourth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March 2025.

Michael Thorbjornsen, a 24-year-old out of Stanford, came from behind to post his first pro victory. Thorbjornsen shot a bogey-free 63 to finish at minus-18, giving him a two-stroke margin over runner-up Xander Schauffele.

Davis Riley was third at 15 under, Rasmus Højgaard was fourth at 14 under and three players shared fifth place.

Kim wound up in a seven-way tie for eighth that also included Patrick Cantlay and Rickie Fowler.

Third-round leader Brennan skidded to a share of 15th place after a final-round 73 that featured a pair of double bogeys.

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