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The Tom Kim-Presidents Cup drama has been reignited… by his own caddie.

Kim, 22, was making his second appearance in the biennial contest between the US and the Internationals when things turned fiery at Royal Montreal.

It started in Kim’s fourball match with Scottie Scheffler on Thursday before the heat ramped up during Saturday’s fourball match against Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele.

By that point, the US players had grown exasperated by Kim’s antagonistic celebrations and fist pumps.

Now, his caddie Paul Tesori claims his player’s opposite numbers got ‘very personal’ with Kim, acting in a way that he would be ‘embarrassed’ by.

Speaking on PGA Tour Sirius XM Radio, Tesori said: “I witnessed three (incidents) where members of the U.S. team emphatically got personal with Tom and cursed at him and got very personal.

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“At the end of the day, no one wants that. I don’t think that’s in their character at all. I know one of them apologized, which is a great thing. The heat of the moment got to him.

“It’s only two of the 24 guys that acted in a way I’d be embarrassed to act.

After the match, Kim said in his press conference there was ‘no need’ for US players to curse at him on the greens in Canada.

“I don’t think there was good sportsmanship there,” he said. “But it’s all part of the fun. I understand it.”

That is where Tesori – previously a long-time caddie for Webb Simpson – explained that his player had crossed the line.

“When Tom mentioned that in the Saturday press conference, I didn’t know he had done it,” the caddie recalled.

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“He came in and shared with me what he did, and this is part of what a 52-year-old veteran can share with a 22-year-old.

“I said ‘Tom, you have every right to feel the way you did’. One of them I witnessed a foot away from me, and the feelings I had inside were very New York, Bethpage-y. I wanted to react physically, and I was upset by what had happened.

“Now, there’s no reason for him to go in the media. And we know in the world we live in now, even if there was video proof of what happened, half the world’s gonna think he’s being a baby, and the other half is gonna think he’s viable.

“But Tom has to have thick skin. He can’t go to the media and pronounce that. You have to go talk to your captains about it, talk to your teammates about it, so it’s a learning experience for Tom.”


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John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.

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