Tom Kim has admitted he missed the anonymity of playing in tournaments without widespread television coverage after an embarrassing incident at Oak Hill.

Kim unwittingly provided the viral moment of day one of the US PGA Championship in Rochester, New York after an errant tee shot on the par-four sixth, his 15th of the day.

The world No.19, who shot an opening round of 73, thought he could play his ball from the edge of the hazard but discovered the ground was considerably softer and muddier than he anticipated.

Television footage captured Kim emerging with his legs covered in mud and kept rolling as he decided he may as well find a cleaner part of the creek in which to wash his legs and trousers.

"Are you kidding me?" Kim said, pulling down his white cap to hide his face upon leaving the scorer's tent, where he was informed his dip into the mud went world wide.

"Unbelievable. All for a ball.

"I think the world has seen enough already of it.

"I hit it over in the mud and I was hoping I was able to find it. I wasn't able to find it and there was a moment where my legs were inside the mud and I wasn't able to get myself out for a minute.

"I was talking to Joe (Skovron, his caddie) and said I might as well go in the water and wash myself off and I took a bath over there. I've had better days for sure."

The incident took place shortly before play was suspended late on Thursday evening and the 20-year-old South Korean had hoped there would be no footage, adding: "I miss the days when I played on a Tour without cameras."

"It's pretty embarrassing ... I wouldn't change it for the world because I don't regret anything I did. I think I would have regretted it more not trying to go in there.

"Every single shot matters so much to me, and I'm going to try everything I can."

With AP.