‘I Was Freaking Out’: Pro Golfer’s Search for Korean BBQ Accidentally Lands Him in Canada

Professional golfer Si Woo Kim was looking for Korean barbecue Tuesday night. Instead, he found himself paying a toll, entering an international tunnel and accidentally leaving the United States.

Kim, who is competing in this week’s Rocket Classic in Detroit, became the latest driver to learn that blindly following GPS directions near the Detroit River can have international consequences.

Fellow golfer Michael Kim shared the story on X, explaining that he always visits a “solid Korean BBQ restaurant” whenever he is in Detroit and invited Si Woo to join him.

Si Woo searched for the restaurant on Google Maps, selected what appeared to be a nearby location and began following the directions. There was just one problem: A restaurant with the same name was located across the river in Windsor, Ontario.

Because the Canadian restaurant appeared to be only about 1.5 miles from his downtown Detroit hotel, Si Woo assumed he had found the correct location.

“I just follow the instruction, and somehow make a turn, there’s like toll gate, like $9, I had to pay to go through,” he later told CBS Golf. “Why’s it so expensive?”

That should have been his first clue.

Then he entered the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.

“As soon as I get into the tunnel, ‘Oh, this is Canada,’” Si Woo recalled.

By then, there was no convenient place to turn around. His simple dinner trip had officially become an international border crossing.

Si Woo, a South Korean citizen, said the unexpected situation rattled him so badly that he suddenly found himself having trouble speaking English.

“I was so freaking out,” he said.

Fortunately, the Canadian border officer apparently had a sense of humor—and an interest in golf. Si Woo said the officer asked whether he planned to win the Rocket Classic on Sunday.

“If you let me through,” Si Woo replied.

Whether Si Woo ever reached the intended Korean barbecue restaurant wasn’t made clear. But he did receive an unforgettable lesson in Detroit-area geography: When Google Maps sends you toward a tollbooth and an underwater tunnel, dinner may be in another country.