Michael Kim calls Charles Schwab Challenge ‘a real test’ despite reservations about recent changes

Michael Kim was one of the 135 players who competed in last week's Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas. Kim is known for being active on social media, where he frequently shares detailed notes of his tournament experiences; he recently shared some input from his time at the Colonial Country Club.

The Colonial Country Club was renovated a year ago with improved changes to the greens and course layout, which garnered mixed feelings from the PGA Tour players. Michael Kim was particularly not a fan of the changes that made the 7,280 yard long par 70 course a "real test."

Here's a look at what Michael Kim had to say (via X @Mike_kim714):

"Colonial [Country Club] is just a great track. The new greens were still firm enough to provide a real challenge especially with the wind blowing 15-25 consistently. I don’t love all the new changes but at the very least the firmness keeps the course a real test."

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Michael Kim made the cut at the 2025 Charles Schwab Challenge by one stroke and ended the event with a tie for 16th place. In his post on X, the PGA Tour star stated that he wished he were able to use a rangefinder during the event, not for improved pace of play, but for more informed shot decision-making.

Heading into the Texas-based event, Kim made a few changes to his driver swing. He worked on playing around with the ground force, which ultimately led to him having one of the "best driving weeks of the year."

Having gained 4.830 strokes, Michael Kim ranked third in the field in strokes gained off the tee. He was also the third best in driving accuracy, with 38 out of 56 fairways hit over 72 holes of competition.

The new course layout of the Colonial Country Club suited Kim's playing style. He was one of the longest hitters out on the course with an average driving distance of 323.10 yards, and his longest was a whopping 392 yards.

Michael Kim's 2025 Charles Schwab Challenge Stats

Here's a look at Michael Kim's performance at the 2025 Charles Schwab Challenge (via PGA Tour):

Strokes Gained - Off the Tee: + 4.830
Strokes Gained - Approach to Green: + 1.189
Strokes Gained - Around the Green: - 0.543
Strokes Gained - Putting: + 0.835
Strokes Gained - Total: + 6.310
Driving Accuracy - 67.86 percent (38/56)
Average Driving Distance - 323.10 yards
Longest Drive - 392 yards
Greens in Regulation - 65.28 percent (47/72)
Sand Saves - 50 percent (2/4)
Scrambling - 76 percent (19/25)
Putts per Green in Regulation Hit - 1.89 putts
Feet of Putts Made - 72 feet 5 inches
Birdies - 12
Pars - 53
Bogeys - 7

About the author

Lathika is one of the newer additions to Sportskeeda’s budding golf journalism team and has brought plenty of in-game experience to the role. Having been a golfer for over 12 years now, some of her crowning achievements include winning titles on the Indian Golf Union Ladies tour and Junior Girls Amateur tour.

She currently competes in Division 1 golf in New York, and hopes to play in the U.S. Open and Chevron Championship one day. She is set to cover the 2025 Ryder Cup as well. She is currently pursuing a degree in Business Administration and Management, and holds a Sports Marketing certification from Northwestern University, which helped her learn to draft press releases and ultimately transition into journalism.

Lathika has thus developed a knowledge base that allows her to view golf from both player, spectator and media lenses, enabling her to bring statistics, insights and an understanding of fan emotion together in her copies. She only uses verified information from reliable sources like the PGA TOUR.

Her favorite golfers are Nelly Korda and Tiger Woods, both for their playing style as well as their mental strength. Much of her time away from work is spent playing golf, but she also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and learning new hobbies or upskilling.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua