Kris Kim, 16, Is Already Putting Major Winners to Shame With ‘Nerves of Steel’ at PGA Tour Debut; Here’s How

Nerves were “pretty high” for Kris Kim on the first tee. The 16-year-old carded 3-under 68 regardless, picking five birdies, four bogeys, and an eagle. Starting from the back nine, Kim picked his first bogey on the 12th; the second came at the par 3, 15th. Unflinched among a boisterous crowd, Kim moved from 1-over to 3-under in the last 12 holes.

From Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, and Brendan Steele to Zach Johnson, expletive-laden rants from pro golfers have gone viral over the internet. Kim, though, was cool as a freshly harvested cucumber at TPC Craig Ranch. Speaking to the media after the debut round, the English linksman, in fact, praised the crowd.

Kris Kim felt the nerves but got over it quickly

Kim found people cheering for him at every hole. Did that put an extra burden of expectation? After all, Byron Nelson has been the launching pad of two of the PGA Tour’s finest—Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler. The British youngster, though, exudes confidence. In fact, Kim said in the post-round media interaction that the crowd “just makes it everything better.”

Actually, Kim was looking forward to this. “I can’t wait to play in front of big crowds again. I’ve never hit the ball as far as I did at the Ryder Cup. The adrenalin rush makes golf so much fun. That said, having played that course, and a few more tour courses, I appreciate the task ahead and look forward to the challenge,” the teenager said before the tournament started.

Nervousness did get the better of him in the first couple of holes. But Kris Kim didn’t take long to adapt to the adrenaline rush of making your Tour debut. It took only 17 holes for the youngster to card his first PGA Tour eagle. A slick chip-in from 67 feet moved him to 3-under, five shots away from the leader and compatriot, Matt Wallace. 

Kim credits his mother for the confidence, “I mean, she’s told me at the end of the day it’s just hitting a golf ball around, and then whatever you shoot, whatever you shoot. ” That’s the advice the Junior Ryder Cupper received from his mother, Ji-Hyun Suh, who played at the LPGA Tour in 1998-99. The Surrey resident did a fine job at hitting the ball. If he can keep doing this, Kris Kim might very well one-up Miles Russell again. 

Kim looks forward to making the cut

Miles Russell, the No. 1 junior amateur golfer, became the youngest player in history to make the Korn Ferry Tour cut. Russell is also the youngest Junior PLAYERS Championship winner, and the youngest to earn the Rolex Boys Player of the Year, breaking Tiger Woods’s record. But head-to-head, Kim has an edge. 

Last year, Kim earned bragging rights over his American counterpart courtesy of a 5-4 victory at the Junior Ryder Cup. He was undefeated throughout the weekend, claiming 3.5 points. Also, the 16-year-old is the first British amateur to sign a NIL deal with TaylorMade and UnderArmour. Booking a spot on the final two rounds of the PGA Tour will once again give Kris Kim an edge over American International.