During Friday’s second round, Si Woo Kim’s playing partner, Ludvig Aberg, opened with a birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie sequence to reach five under par through just four holes. But in stark contrast, Kim found himself trapped in a psychological cold zone during the delays. His relief from all of it was a cigarette.

Kim and Aberg were playing in twosomes after Collin Morikawa’s withdrawal. Quite naturally, their group was getting done quicker than the threesomes ahead. By the time the pair arrived at the seventh tee, the backlog was so severe that Kim went near the bush hiding behind trees to have a smoke.

He wanted to be away from the camera so that the broadcast wouldn’t catch it. However, an eagle-eyed fan following the group had other plans. They captured the funny moment, shared it on social media, and it quickly went viral.

Golfers have been ripping darts on the course during tournaments for years. Even Kim as well. He went viral for smoking at Quail Hollow last year during the 2025 PGA Championship and candidly told reporters that he smokes because he is “getting old and stressed.” This time, the 30-year-old wasn’t asked about the matter.

There are several on this list from John Daly to Charley Hull. John Daly is believed to have smoked 21 cigarettes in a single round of golf, and Hull went viral a few times over the last two years or so for smoking cigarettes during LPGA tournaments. During the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open, Hull signed autographs for fans while smoking.

Just a few weeks back, Dan Brown, an English golfer playing on the PGA Tour this season, handed a pack of cigarettes to a fan who asked for it. The spectator took one and returned the packet. Hull, on the other hand, has been asked to sign an autograph on a cigarette as well.

So, Si Woo Kim is far from the only golfer to rip darts on the course. And before you ask, no, there is no rule that prohibits players from smoking on the greens. As long as you are maintaining decorum, a key reason why Kim went near the bushes, you’re just fine.

However, the four-time PGA Tour winner struggled significantly despite the smoke break. He had several misjudgments, especially at the par-three 17th, where he found the water and carded a double bogey, eventually signing the day off for a 1-over 73.

Still, when Si Woo Kim was hiding in the woods with a cigarette in his hand during his second round at TPC Sawgrass, fans started noticing.

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Greens, woods, and nicotine: The internet reacts to Si Woo Kim’s stress relief

The first wave of reactions focused on Kim’s background, saying, “Just in!!! A Korean guy has a cigarette!!! More to come.”

South Korean golfers like K.J. Choi and Tom Kim have historically been celebrated for their intense work ethic. Though the fan’s comment leans into a stereotype, it isn’t entirely accurate to suggest Kim is the only one.

But most of the fans dismiss the incident, recalling, “And? John Daly used to fire one up after teeing off. He didn’t hide. He walked down the fairway with it. 😎”

John Daly is the historical benchmark for non-conformity in golf. Known as ‘wild thing,’ to his fans, Daly became an icon for his refusal to adhere to the regimented lifestyle of top athletes, often smoking cigarettes, drinking Diet Cokes, and eating M&Ms during tournament rounds. And it’s not just Daly, players like Miguel Angel Jimenez and Darren Clarke are famously synonymous with cigars and a laid-back demeanor.

So one fan added, “One of us 👍🏻” while another fan said, “He shouldn’t feel the need to hide in the woods.”

One fan even noted, “Why is this even a big deal?? I swear the media needs to just go away.”

And finally, some fans jokingly added, “Tobacco power!”

Whether you call it quirky or just another reminder that golf has its own unscripted moments, Si Woo Kim’s cigarette break added an unforgettable incident in a day at TPC Sawgrass, where his playing partner snatched the lead from in-form Xander Schauffler, and Rory McIlroy once again faced fan heat.