SOUTH Korean star Tom Kim withdrew from the Players Championship eight holes into his opening round at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

The PGA Tour said Kim’s withdrawal was due to an unspecified illness. It came as Kim was five-over par following a triple-bogey on the par-3 17th hole. He also carded a pair of bogeys along with five pars after starting on the 10th hole.