Si Woo Kim has become an instant cult hero after destroying his putter and using his driver

One of the weirdest things ever seen at the Masters has played out with a star destroying his putter and becoming an instant cult hero.

Si Woo Kim did not select power drive.

Si Woo Kim has earned the status of instant cult hero after he destroyed his putter during his second round at the Masters.

The South Korean finished only three strokes off the lead on Saturday morning (AEST), despite breaking his putter in frustration on the 15th hole at Augusta National.

Kim fired a three-under par 69 to stand on four-under after the second round, three adrift of leader Justin Rose of England, who heads into the weekend at seven-under.

Woo stole the show on the second day when he completed the rest of his round using his 3-wood as a putter.

Incredibly, it proved to be a masterstroke. He finished his round with two-putt pars on every hole on his way to the club house. It adds another chapter to the Masters’ endless tales of epic victories and crushing defeats.

Si Woo Kim did not select power drive.

The 2017 Players Championship winner lost his cool on the 15th when an approach chip crossed over the green and rested at the front of the green.

After walking behind his ball to take in his next putt, Kim was seen slamming his putter down furiously with enough force to snap the shaft from the head.

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He had also suffered a putt on the 14th hole where the ball spun around the lip. He had clearly had enough when it came to finishing his round.

He was a mixture of raw anger and ice-cool temperament.

Angry enough to pull out his 3-wood, yet cool enough to use the club better than anyone dreamed he could have.

Si Woo Kim was a beast with the wood.

“Just frustration,” Kim said of the snap.

“Like 14, 15, chip. That’s not on purpose, but it was broken, yeah.”

Kim said he had never made a putter unusable on the course before, but was able to use a wood as a substitute putter and stay in the green jacket hunt.

“I was lucky I only have like three, four, five feet, and then the last few holes, I only had a birdie putt, so no pressure to make it,” Kim said.

Si Woo Kim on the green.

“I think it’s just I got lucky there.” Kim dismissed using a sand wedge in the role.

“I think sand wedge (is) harder and hard to spin control, especially this fast green,” he said.

Kim was happy to see his name on the scoreboard among the leaders. It’s an honour and (I’m) proud of myself,” he said. “Hope (I’m) still there Sunday.”

The moment was described as “one of the weirdest things to ever happen at the Masters”.

Si Woo Kim snapped his putter on the 15th hole and is now finishing his round putting with a fairway wood.

This has to be one of the weirdest things we’ve seen at #TheMasters. pic.twitter.com/Fa8uqf6EIh

— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) April 9, 2021

If the broken putter wasn’t enough, this happened to Si Woo Kim at the end of his round.

Tough day other than shooting a 69 and being just 3 shots off the lead. #TheMasterspic.twitter.com/7fsDzKwGpV

— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) April 9, 2021

Tank DeChambeau bullies back into contention

Bryson DeChambeau has been humbled by Augusta ever since he famously declared the treacherous course was a par-67 for him and his monster long drives.

Finally, it played like a par-67 for him on Saturday morning.

The long-hitting DeChambeau fought his way back into Masters contention by firing off a 5-under second round to sit at 1-under overall and six shots back of leader Justin Rose.

After the first round, DeChambeau sat 11 strokes behind Rose.

DeChambeau finished with a flourish, birdieing four of the final six holes. That included an impressive recovery on the final hole after he hit his drive way right off the tee.

Before last year’s COVID-delayed Masters in November and fresh off a US Open victory, DeChambeau boasted that Augusta would play more like a par 67 with its reachable par 5s..

Six months ago, he struggled in the opening round and truly never got back into contention. Now he has a chance to back-up his boast if he could put together two more solid rounds.

— with AFP, New York Post

Originally published as Si Woo Kim has become an instant cult hero after destroying his putter and using his driver