2 weeks ago
Within a fortnight of English amateur Lottie Woad making nan trim connected her awesome debut, an moreover younger British golfer is now preparing to make a first quality connected nan PGA Tour.
Starting connected Thursday, Surrey-based 16-year-old Kris Kim, who starred successful Europe’s triumph astatine past year’s inferior Ryder Cup, will compete successful Texas against immoderate of nan champion players successful nan world.
The section astatine nan CJ Cup Byron Nelson astatine TPC Craig Ranch includes erstwhile number ones Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott and Jason Day.
Kim, past year’s victor of nan Boys’ Amateur title arsenic good arsenic nan European Individual Championship and McGregor Trophy, is regarded arsenic nan outstanding teenage imaginable successful English men’s golf.
He has already signed a drawstring of sponsorship deals nether relaxed rules connected contracts for amateur players. His backing from nan CJ Group has resulted successful a sponsor’s invitation to play this week.
“I’m truthful excited to tee it up successful Texas,” Kim said. “It’s what you activity towards each nan clip and it’s an astonishing opportunity.”
The teen is nan boy of South Korean erstwhile LPGA subordinate Ji-Hyun Suh. “I’ll decidedly inquire my mum for advice,” Kim said. “It is going to beryllium a very different situation and you don’t cognize really you will respond to it.
“She’ll thief maine woody pinch it. She’s my coach and we talk astir everything from dealing pinch nerves, taking 1 changeable astatine a time, leaving bad shots down and keeping it simple, correct done to people strategy.
“My first purpose is to make nan trim and past spot what happens. I’m 1 of 144 competitors and we’ve each sewage a chance.
“Whatever happens it’s going to beryllium ace adjuvant for my early because I’ll summation truthful overmuch experience. I cognize I’m still young and beautiful overmuch each week I study a lesson, but this week is going to beryllium a batch bigger.”
Kim picked up nan crippled arsenic a inferior astatine Cuddington Golf Club successful Surrey, wherever he would beryllium seen practising relentlessly aft schoolhouse and during holidays.
“I’ve ne'er known a much dedicated youngster,” Cuddington’s head of play Paul Schunter told BBC Sport. “And he could not person asked for amended parents.
“They person been truthful encouraging. All nan pushing has travel from Kris because he has ever wanted to play and believe much and more.”
Kim emerged nether nan captaincy of DP World Tour prima Stephen Gallacher astatine nan inferior Ryder Cup past September. He won 3 and a half points retired of four; beating 15-year-old Miles Russell 5&4 successful nan singles astatine Marco Simone adjacent Rome.
Last week, Russell created his ain headlines successful nan United States by making nan trim successful nan Korn Ferry Tour’s Suncoast Classic successful Florida.
“I can’t hold to play successful beforehand of large crowds again,” Kim said. “I’ve ne'er deed nan shot arsenic acold arsenic I did astatine nan Ryder Cup.
“The adrenalin unreserved makes play truthful overmuch fun. That said, having played nan course, and a fewer much circuit courses, I admit nan task up and look guardant to nan challenge.”
Leading figures astatine England Golf respect Kim and Woad arsenic nan country’s 2 starring prospects. Woad, 20, won nan caller Augusta National Women’s Amateur by birdieing nan past 2 holes astatine nan location of nan Masters.
That triumph brought an invitation to play nan Chevron Championship earlier this period astatine Carlton Woods successful Texas. Woad was wrong nan apical 10 astatine nan halfway shape while a drawstring of superstars, including Ireland's Leona Maguire and Celine Boutier of France, missed nan cut.
Woad vanished successful a stock of 23rd spot earlier returning to Florida State University wherever she is now juggling her studies pinch elite amateur and assemblage tournaments.
Kim, meanwhile, is anticipating a PGA Tour debut while studying for his GCSEs. “I americium trying to revise, I promise, but it’s rather tough,” he laughed. “My schedule is rather engaged correct now.”
