English teenager Kris Kim is taking a break from his high-school studies this week to realise a dream: making his debut on the PGA Tour at the Byron Nelson tournament in Texas.
“It’s been a dream of mine since I started golf, and to finally be able to play on this platform is incredible for me,” the 16-year-old from Surrey said on Wednesday at TPC Craig Ranch in suburban Dallas. “Hopefully I can just play good golf and make it to the weekend.”
Kim boasts an impressive resume, including victories in the R&A Boys’ Amateur Championship, the European Boys Individual Championship and the McGregor Trophy last year.
He went undefeated at the Junior Ryder Cup, but said the “crazy” call from sponsor CJ Group with the tournament invitation left him “over the moon for the rest of the day”.
Kim said his “whole family” was on hand in Texas, led by his mother Suh Ji-hyun, a former LPGA Tour player who has been his only swing coach.
“She’s been really great,” Kim said of his mother’s influence. “Don’t think I would be as good without her.”
Kim, who said he “got a taste for” playing in front of big crowds at the Junior Ryder Cup, wasn’t worried about nerves when he tees it up in the first two rounds alongside Americans Max Greyserman and Norman Xiong.
“I think I’m pretty good under the crowds,” he said. “I think there is always going to be nerves, whatever tournament. I’m just going to focus on my game and see where it goes.”
At least it means he can put school work on the back burner for a few days.
“I’ve actually got exams to pass three days after I get back,” he said. “So I’ll try to forget about them for the time being and then focus on them on the flight back.”
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Mike Mulholland/Getty Images
