PGA Tour player Tom Kim apologizes over damaging locker door after loss

South Korean PGA Tour player Tom Kim took to social media Tuesday to apologize over damaging his locker following a playoff loss at a tournament on home soil over the weekend.

Kim took flak after a photo taken inside the clubhouse at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon, just west of Seoul, showed Monday that the door to his locker had come off the hinges. Kim had apparently taken out his frustration on it after losing to countryman An Byeong-hun in a playoff Sunday at the Genesis Championship, co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour (formerly European Tour) and the KPGA Tour.

Kim wrote on his Instagram that he wanted to set the record straight.

“After the loss, I was frustrated, yes, absolutely,” he wrote. “But I can assure you with absolute truth that I had no intent of damaging any part of the locker, not a single bit.

“I addressed it with the DP World Tour and the KPGA right after the incident, saying that the door came off,” Kim continued. “We had to fully pull it out due to safety reasons. I also let them know that I was willing to pay all expenses for the damage.”

The KPGA Tour said Monday it would look further into the matter before deciding whether to open disciplinary proceedings against Kim, and also said the golf club would not ask Kim to pay for the repair because the damage had been minimal.

On possible disciplinary action, Kim wrote: “I spoke to the tour immediately after the incident. After my apology and offer to pay for the damage, the matter was considered closed.”

He closed the message with an apology.

“I am grateful to everyone that’s reached out with messages of support, but to them and everyone else that I may have let down, I apologize with all my heart.”