Tom Kim plays through ‘grade one tear’ to shockingly climb into contention at Open Championship

Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Tom Kim may have an injury, but he powered through on Day 2 of the Open Championship as he shot 3-under to stay within reach.

Tom Kim has had quite a tough time with major championships this season.

The viral mud disaster happened at the PGA Championship, and now he is playing with an ankle injury at the Open Championship.

Kim hobbled around on Friday through his second round. Despite that, he shot a 3-under 68 to sit at even par and T26 in the tournament. Following his beautiful round, he detailed the injury.

“It’s a grade one tear,” Kim said. “I’m barely walking, but it’s cool how I got away with it.”

It was a fluke accident.

“After the round yesterday, I got home, and I looked — where I’m staying, there is like this patio, and it drops down to the grass,” Kim said. “There is like half a yard of mud and my foot got caught and slipped and popped.”

Kim said once his adrenaline started, he powered through on Friday.

“It’s pretty bruised,” Kim said. “But, no, I got some tough love from my team, and I was told to suck it up. I certainly did that and played well today.”

His trainer deemed Kim had a playable injury. They taped it up and even though it was uncomfortable, he gave it a go. Kim said he wanted to see how it went for him before deciding.

He went out in 31 with four birdies on the front nine. Kim made a bogey on the par-4 11th, but that was his only mistake.

“I definitely went out there with low expectations… Once I started to warm and get more comfortable with it, I was able to play around with it,” Kim said. “I hit the ball better than yesterday without a bad foot, so maybe it’s a good thing.”

Now Kim will keep icing his ankle and rest up for the weekend. He may use a wheelchair to get around the clubhouse, but once it’s go time, Kim will bear the pain.

“I’m not going to give up. It’s just not who I am,” Kim said.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and on Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.