Michelle Wie gives fans a look at her huge shoe collection

LAS VEGAS – Max Homa’s face lit up when he was asked about Tom Kim, the PGA TOUR’s newest young star who captured the world’s hearts with his exuberant performance at the recent Presidents Cup. Homa, who ironically was the man to silence some of Kim’s incredible fervor with a Sunday Singles victory over the 20-year-old that helped the U.S. Team beat Kim’s International Team 17-5-12.5, is one of the biggest fans of the Korean sensation. “Tom is obviously a rock star. I think first and foremost, he’s an amazingly nice person. He’s got that fresh outlook on the game of golf, which is cool. He’s 20 years old, so that’s amazing to even be out here,” Homa said. “It was cool to see him kind of burst on the scene there (at Quail Hollow) because I know he had been playing some really great golf prior, but that was a big stage, and he handled it awesome.” Homa was referencing a couple of huge eagles on Saturday at Quail Hollow that turned things for Kim and his partners in wins against U.S. duos. His long-range putts on the drivable 11th hole saw him throwing his putter and bellowing before the ball even disappeared. Then, as an encore, there was a 10-foot winning birdie putt on the 18th in the afternoon Four-ball match against the dominant pair of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay that Kim himself has had put on repeat on YouTube at times since the tournament. “I’ve watched it a lot of times. I still watch it sometimes because it gives me motivation,” he laughs. “I always have that fire inside me.” Already a winner at last season’s Wyndham Championship, Kim steps out for just his 18th TOUR start this week at the Shriners Children’s Open. Despite no history on the course, he is one of the favorites to win at TPC Summerlin. Former major winner-turned-analyst Paul Azinger has already anointed him a possible future world No. 1 and one of his favorite players. Indeed, Kim is already a drawcard. While picking up a coffee at a local store near TPC Summerlin on Wednesday morning, this reporter was spotted with a TOUR credential and International Team polo which drew questioning from a golf fan in the same line. “Are you here for the Shriners? Do you know Tom Kim? We can’t wait to get out there and see him play this weekend,” the excitable middle-aged man gushed as he walked off with his latte. “My son plays junior golf and he’s been fist pumping and roaring just like him for the past few weeks. Don’t tell his teacher, but I might buy a Friday ticket as well just to make sure he gets to watch him.” Running late somewhere, he was gone before more questions could be asked, but one figures that man and his son are not alone in a quick admiration for Tom Kim. After all, he’s also a built-in advertisement for resilience, having opened the Wyndham Championship with a quadruple-bogey eight yet winning the tournament by five shots. And his energy is infectious. “As competitive as golf is, and that’s why we play it, part of it is entertainment, and I feel like he also has that extra kick of being very entertaining and lovable and somebody you want to see succeed,” Homa added. “To be able to qualify for the Presidents Cup at that age is crazy to me. He played awesome all week. He was the catalyst of the team, I felt like. His emotion was cool.” Kim and Homa have been paired together for the first two rounds this week along with fellow Presidents Cup player Si Woo Kim, Tom’s partner in that fateful Saturday afternoon match in Charlotte. There’s no doubt those three will be looking to entertain with abundant birdies. The question for Tom Kim now is how he will handle his newfound fame. At this tender age, can he maintain the love and joy for the sport that often can become a grind? Will it get to his head? He claims he won’t be getting complacent. He’s aware his new bank balance could induce such behavior, but Kim idolizes Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan for the never-be-satisfied mindset they carried. He intends to do the same. “It’s amazing how people are starting to recognize me, and it’s a great feeling, and I really appreciate it,” Kim said humbly as he looks to start his 2023 campaign. “But I feel like nothing has really changed. Tiger has 82 wins on the PGA TOUR. Until I get to 83, it’s going to be hard for me to think a little different.” It’s a refreshing maturity for one so young, particularly with the hype train in full motion around him right now. “A lot of people have been telling me that hey, you’re such a star now, things like that, but I feel like really, am I that big of a star?” Kim said. “I played the Presidents Cup, it’s great, I had one win. But you’ve got guys like Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth … I’ve still got a lot to do.” As such, he’s knuckling down this week where he feels the course should suit his game perfectly. And he intends to play the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan next week and THE CJ CUP in South Carolina the week after. Will he still have his bubbly smile throughout that intense travel schedule? Likely yes as he knows his energy is almost his secret weapon. “I’ve learned enjoying it is the biggest thing, because there are a lot of times where it gets a little difficult with travel and going to places every week, and sometimes maybe not having the perfect food or something like that,” Kim said. “But I enjoy a lot of things out here, and I love golf, and I love practicing. Putting a focus on enjoying it is probably the biggest lesson I’ve learned.”

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Round 3 of THE CJ CUP @ SUMMIT takes place Saturday from Nevada. Keith Mitchell built a five-shot lead after firing 62-64 over the first 36-holes. Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott, Harry Higgs and Seonghyeon Kim sit T-2 and will have to go low on Moving Day to catch Mitchell. Here’s everything you need to know to follow the action. Leaderboard Full tee times HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Thursday-Sunday, 5 p.m.-8 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 10:15 a.m.-8 p.m. (Featured Groups). Radio: Thursday-Friday, 2 p.m.-8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 3 p.m.-8 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio). TOURCast: Get shot-by-shot info in real time with shot tracks and video with TOURCast. TOUR Pulse: Get the PGA TOUR app to utilize TOUR Pulse, which provides users the ability to experience a mix of content, such as video highlights, written hole summaries and stat graphics on every player after every hole they complete. MUST READS Rory McIlroy’s prediction coming true at THE CJ CUP Keith Mitchell builds five-shot lead at THE CJ CUP @ SUMMIT Win probabilities: THE CJ CUP @ SUMMIT Insider: K.H. Lee’s unusual introduction to golf Revisiting Tiger’s first win in Las Vegas

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SOUTHPORT, England – Tee times have been released for the 146th playing of The Open Championship. Royal Birkdale is hosting the event for the 10th time. The last Open winner at Royal Birkdale was Padraig Harrington in 2008, as he became the first European player in more than 100 years to successfully defend the Open title. Here’s a look at some of the featured groups in this week’s field (FedExCup rankings are in parentheses): RELATED: Tee times | Course | Past results | Field | Past winners Jordan Spieth (4), Si Woo Kim (31), Henrik Stenson (99) – Stenson, who has missed the cut in the first two majors this season, doesn’t exactly exude confidence about defending his title. After finishing T-26 at the Scottish Open on Sunday, he told reporters, “Not feeling that you’re playing anywhere near 100 percent, you can’t really put that pressure that you’re going to be up there and contend.â€� Kim, winner of THE PLAYERS Championship, and Spieth, who won in spectacular fashion in his last start at the Travelers Championship, should be in better frames of mind. Tee times: Rd. 1 – 4:47 a.m. ET on Thursday; Rd. 2 – 9:48 a.m. ET on Friday. Sergio Garcia (19), Jason Day (56), Zach Johnson (87) – In his first 20 starts at The Open, Garcia has finished inside the top 10 half the time. Given his current form – two wins, including the Masters, and 18 consecutive made cuts – he’ll be a big favorite this week. He’ll also be trying to complete a Spanish hat trick, as Jon Rahm won the Irish Open two weeks ago and Rafa Cabrera Bello won the Scottish Open on Sunday. Day has missed the cut in his last two starts and is still seeking his first win since the 2015 PLAYERS. Johnson’s T5 at the John Deere Classic on Sunday is just his third top-5 finish since winning the Open in 2015. Tee times: Rd. 1 – 8:04 a.m. ET on Thursday; Rd. 2 – 3:03 a.m. ET on Friday. Hideki Matsuyama (2), Brooks Koepka (8), Tommy Fleetwood (N/A) – In his 17 major starts since 2013, Matsuyama already has six top-10 finishes, and his T2 at the U.S. Open last month – with a 66 on Sunday the low round of the day — was his best result. Of course, Koepka was the winner at Erin Hills, and is making his first start since then. The former European Tour member last played The Open in 2015, when he finished T-10. Fleetwood, a native of Southport, will be the local favorite and probably knows the course as well as anybody in the field. He said it’s a “massive privilegeâ€� to play so close to home. Like Koepka and Matsuyama, he comes off a strong showing at Erin Hills. Tee times: Rd. 1 – 5:09 a.m. ET on Thursday; Rd. 2 – 10:10 a.m. ET on Friday. Rickie Fowler (6), Paul Casey (26), Adam Scott (71) – The last seven majors have been won by first-time major winners. Don’t be surprised if Fowler or Casey makes it No. 8. Fowler tied for second the last time The Open was held in England, in 2014 at Royal Liverpool. Casey, making his 15th start in The Open, tied for seventh the last time Birkdale was the host. Scott’s run of four consecutive top-10 finishes in this event ended last year when he tied for 43rd at Royal Troon. Tee times: Rd. 1 – 8:26 a.m. ET on Thursday; Rd. 2 – 3:25 a.m. ET on Friday. Dustin Johnson (1), Charl Schwartzel (46), Rory McIlroy (75) – Johnson, the winner of three consecutive events earlier this year, has yet to regain his form since suffering the accident on the stairs that prevented him from playing the Masters. He’s missed the cut in his last two starts. McIlroy also has struggled for results, having missed the cut in three of his last four starts. Schwartzel tied for third at the Masters. Tee times: Rd. 1 – 9:48 a.m. ET on Thursday; Rd. 2 – 4:47 a.m. ET on Friday. Justin Thomas (3), Justin Rose (22), Louis Oosthuizen (40) – Thomas, the three-time winner this season, has missed his last two cuts after his disappointing final round at Erin Hills. Even so, a T-9 at the U.S. Open and a T-22 at the Masters should be a confidence boost going into this week. Rose has five top-5 finishes this year, while Oosthuizen’s best result is a tie for second at THE PLAYERS. Tee times: Rd. 1 – 4:58 a.m. ET on Thursday; Rd. 2 – 9:59 a.m. ET on Friday. MORE NOTES Bryson DeChambeau, in the field this week thanks to Sunday’s breakthrough win at the John Deere Classic, is grouped with Jason Dufner and Branden Grace … Phil Mickelson, the 2013 Open champ, is with Francesco Molinari and Marc Leishman … Think there will be some smack talk in this group? Patrick Reed is with Lee Westwood and Jon Rahm. … Padraig Harrington, the winner at Royal Birkdale in 2008, is with Pat Perez and Thomas Pieters.

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