Kris Kim

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kris Kim
Personal information
Born (2007-09-30) 30 September 2007 (age 16)
Sporting nationality England
Career
StatusAmateur

Kris Kim (born 30 September 2007) is an English amateur golfer.[1][2]

Early life[edit]

Kim is from Surrey and started playing as a junior at Cuddington Golf Club.[3] Both his parents played golf professionally and he is coached by his mother, Ji Hyun Suh. His father Ki Yong Kim played on the Fiji tour. Kim is a member of Cuddington Golf Club in Banstead and Walton Heath Golf Club in Walton-on-the-Hill.[4] He attends Epsom College.[5]

Amateur career[edit]

Kim won the England U-14s title by seven shots in 2021.[6]

2023[edit]

In April 2023, Kim won the Fairhaven Trophy by six shots, and shortly afterwards joined the international stable of golfers on the CJ Group, including Im Sung-jae, Kim Si-woo, Lee Kyoung-hoon and An Byeong-hun on the PGA Tour.[7] In July 2023, Kim won the McGregor Trophy, the English Boys' Under-16 Open Championship, at Hunstanton Golf Club.[8] In August 2023, he won the Boys Amateur Championship at Ganton Golf Club.[9]

That season, Kim represented England in the European Boys' Team Championship at the Golf Club of Geneva, breaking the course record with a 65 and helping his team secure the bronze medal.[10] He also won the European Boys' Individual Championship and went undefeated at the Junior Ryder Cup at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, which saw Kim claim three wins and a half point in Europe's first victory in the match since 2006 and included 5 and 4 routing of American Miles Russell.[11] Kim was nominated for the SportsAid's One-to-Watch Award in December 2023.[12]

2024[edit]

In February 2024, Kim was awarded 2024 Performance of the Year at Tuesday's England Golf Centenary Dinner & Awards at The Midland Manchester Hotel.[13] In April 2024, he made his PGA Tour debut at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in Texas.[14][15] On his debut round on the PGA Tour, he hit a three under-par 68.[16] The following day, he became the youngest player to make the cut at a PGA Tour event since 2015.[17]

Sponsorship[edit]

Kim became the first European amateur to sign a NIL contract (Name, image and likeness) with Under Armour, and the first British amateur to sign a NIL deal with TaylorMade.[18]

Amateur wins[edit]

Source:[1]

Team appearances[edit]

Source:[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Kris Kim". World Amateur Golf Ranking. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Kris Kim". europeangolfrankings.com. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  3. ^ Carter, Iain (29 April 2024). "English teen Kim 'excited' to make PGA Tour debut". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Kris Kim: the 13-year-old sensation playing the final 'at home'". The Daily Telegraph. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  5. ^ "Kris cream of the crop as England youngster wins R&A Boys' Amateur Championship". England Golf. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Kim Shoots 65 to Lift Trophy". Berks Bucks & Oxon Golf. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Rising Surrey star Kris Kim signs for CJ Group". Golf News. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  8. ^ "Kris Kim claims McGregor Trophy at Hunstanton Golf Club". Eastern Daily Press. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Extra time delight for Kris Kim in British Boys final at Ganton". Golfnews24. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  10. ^ "Kris Kim wins yet another title". Surrey Golf. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  11. ^ "Surrey amateur star Kris Kim set to make PGA Tour debut". Golf News. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  12. ^ "SportsAid's One-to-Watch Award shortlist: Kris Kim". Sportsaid.org. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  13. ^ "England Golf Centenary Dinner & Awards 2024 - Kris Kim wins Performance of the Year Award". England Golf. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  14. ^ "The CJ Cup Byron Nelson 2024: Preview, betting odds, tee times, and how to watch". Todays Golfer. 27 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  15. ^ "Kris Kim: England's Junior Ryder Cup star to swap GCSE revision for PGA Tour debut at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson". Sky Sports. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  16. ^ "English teen Kim hits 68 on PGA debut as Wallace leads". BBC Sport. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  17. ^ "Kris Kim: 16-year-old English amateur makes the cut at PGA Tour's CJ Cup Byron Nelson as Jake Knapp leads". Sky Sports. 4 May 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  18. ^ Chivers, Matt (25 April 2024). "Young golf star will park GCSE revision to make PGA Tour debut". National Club Golfer. Retrieved 29 April 2024.