The luxury of private jets and a team comprising a coach, a fitness trainer, and occasionally a chef, is quite typical among elite professional golfers. Rory McIlroy, for instance, certainly wasn’t spotted in an economy class aisle seat en route to the Genesis Invitational this week.
However, many PGA Tour players regularly travel in a much more ordinary manner.
They grapple with booking flights and hotels, and managing their budgets through the fluctuating fortunes of the tour year.
This is partly why Michael Kim has gained a large following on social media, as he competes in a packed PGA Tour schedule and offers a peek into aspects of the tour that are usually hidden from public view.
Last year, Kim revealed on X (previously known as Twitter) that his travel expenses for flights and hotels amounted to over $92,000 over 30 tournaments, despite earning over $1.4 million in prize money in 2024.
He shared about travel delays, overnight stays in airports, changes in equipment, and his practice routines.
“I think I’m using it well,” Kim mentioned at Torrey Pines, where he played in his local tournament, having attended the nearby Torrey Pines High School. “My sponsors are happy about it. I used to get confused with other players, so it’s nice now to be recognized by some people.”
Reflections from WM (a bit lengthy )
-Really proud of how I played this week. Didn’t feel great about my game initially but managed to get through. Improved as the week progressed and I’m really pleased with how I handled the mental aspects of being in contention… pic.twitter.com/ofC6DQzb4L— Michael S. Kim (@Mike_kim714) February 10, 2025
Kim is close friends with Max Homa, his former teammate at Cal, who has also developed a significant social media presence by sharing various personal insights and humorously critiquing golf swings.
Golf tutorials have also become a hit with Kim’s followers.
“The swing video lessons that I post have been well received,” said Kim, who is among the leaders at the Genesis Invitational after a strong showing at last week’s WM Phoenix Open. “People seem to enjoy the random stuff, too. Or the logistical details. They appreciated my deeper dives into club deals, corporate deals, the kind of stuff the average fan isn’t aware of. Anything real from inside the ropes seems to be valued highly.”
His recent performances have also drawn praise. Last weekend at TPC Scottsdale, he was in the mix, playing alongside Jordan Spieth. With consistently strong rounds in the 60s, including a standout 63 in the second round, Kim amassed enough FedEx Cup points to qualify for his first Signature event since 2023.
The Signature events invite the top 50 from the previous year’s FedEx Cup points list, along with 10 players from the current standings and another five from a mini points list leading into the event. That’s how Kim secured his spot. After missing the cut with scores of 77 three weeks prior, he was thrilled for another shot at Torrey Pines, this week’s host of the Genesis Invitational after its relocation from Riviera Country Club due to wildfires affecting the Los Angeles region.
Currently, Kim stands at 1-under-par through two rounds at the Genesis, seven shots behind leader Davis Thompson. Scottie Scheffler trails by just one shot at 7-under after Friday.
Kim’s only Tour win came at the 2018 John Deere Classic, and since then, he’s navigated the challenging waters of life on the Tour. He lost his PGA Tour card in 2021, which sent him back to the Korn Ferry Tour to claw his way back.
For the 2022–23 season, he managed four top-10s, eight top-25s, and finished 84th on the FedEx Cup points list.
When the PGA Tour announced a reduction in exempt spots from 125 to 100 starting in 2026, Kim openly expressed concerns that the change might be good for the Tour but not necessarily for him. At that time, he was teetering on the edge of the top 125, but a tie for fifth at the Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas gave him some leeway. He finished the year 117th, with two top-10s and 10 top-25 finishes.
And that’s what made last week’s result so crucial. After missing two cuts in his first four starts of 2025, the 245 points he earned for tying for second at TPC Scottsdale propelled him to 27th in the early-season standings.
It’s still early, but it provided some cushion.
“That’s true, and it was nice to receive a lot of positive feedback,” Kim said. “But everyone is playing more tournaments now. It’s obviously a great start and something I can build on. But I’m trying not to think about it too much. I don’t want to become complacent.
“Getting into the top 100 is great, but I’m aiming for the top 50 and to qualify for the [2026] Signature events. I’ve always played a big schedule, so this won’t be much of a change for me.”
That’s a boon for the golf enthusiasts who follow Kim, who will continue to share more behind-the-scenes insights.
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