Long Shot, Big Payday: Tom Kim Wins Scottish Open and One Bettor Turns $47, 700 into $4 Million

Tom Kim finished Sunday at 17-under par with a closing 6-under 64 and walked off the Royal Birkdale greens with the Genesis Scottish Open trophy and a lot of momentum heading into the final major. It was Kim’s first win since 2023 and a sharp reminder that golf’s leaderboard can flip faster than a putt on damp links.

Min Woo Lee pushed the pace and finished a respectable 15-under, but Kim held on to win by two strokes. The victory comes after a strong season that included a third-place finish at the U. S. Open in June, and it earned Kim $1, 575, 000 while nudging his world standing into sharper focus from No. 66.

Off the course, nerves turned into celebration for one bettor who saw a long shot become a headline. A DraftKings Sports wager of $47, 700 on Kim at 84-1 odds paid out $4, 006, 800 when Kim closed it out in dominant fashion.

The day also produced a stark subplot for the sport’s top star. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler arrived as the favorite at around +500, but missed the cut on Friday. It was his first missed cut at a PGA Tour event since 2022, ending a streak of 78 consecutive cuts made.

Royal Birkdale delivered firm fairways, gusty winds and drama both on the scoreboard and in betting slips. Kim’s 64 on Sunday was a lesson in momentum: when a player catches fire in the final round, tournaments can feel like they’re rewriting themselves on every hole.

Between the trophy, the prize money and that staggering payout, this Scottish Open served both sport and spectacle. The British Open at Royal Birkdale looms next, and Tom Kim will head into it with confidence, while one very lucky bettor heads home a lot richer.

Sometimes golf produces tidy birdie strings and sometimes it produces life-changing jackpots. On this Sunday at Royal Birkdale, it did both.