"I've actually got exams" - Amateur golfer Kris Kim juggles exams and CJ Cup Byron Nelson at the same time
Kris Kim is a 16-year-old golfer making his PGA Tour debut as an amateur. The young golfer got a sponsor's exemption into the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and will try to play his way through the weekend as a result.
Kim is juggling school and golf and even admitted that he has something big looming on the horizon. Kim also revealed what his schedule usually looks like, adding that he currently has a little bit of a distraction:
"At home, usually, I've got school, so. That will probably go from eight till around three, four o'clock. Then, I'll try to get as much practice as I can in. Yeah, most of my golf is done on the weekends or the rest days. I've actually got exams to pass English high school three days after I get back, so I'll try to forget about them for the time being," Kim said.
Kim also said that he's just thrilled to be here:
"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 week so far has actually gone so great, hopefully I can just play good golf and make it to the weekend," he added.
Kim will try to make history this weekend. No one has made the cut in a PGA Tour event at a younger age than Kim if he manages that feat this weekend. That's his first goal, as he said via the Tour site:
“My first aim is to make the cut and then see what happens. At the end of the day, I’m one of 144 competitors and we’ve all got a chance,” he said.
The field is stacked with high competition but he will look to channel fellow amateur Miles Russell. The 15-year-old golfer recently became the youngest amateur to ever make the cut at a Korn Ferry event. Kim will try to replicate that at a higher level.
An amateur has already won a PGA Tour event this year as well. Nick Dunlap won the American Express earlier this season shortly before announcing his professional turn. Kim wouldn't be able to do that, but he might be able to follow in Dunlap's footsteps to a win.
Kris Kim making history without even playing
Kris Kim's appearance in the CJ Cup Byron Nelson is historic even if he doesn't do well and misses the cut. Just by making it into the field, he's done something unprecedented.
Kris Kim is the first amateur golfer to be sponsored by CJ Group, which also sponsors numerous pro golfers such as Sungjae Im, Si Woo Kim, KH Lee, and Byeong Hun An.
The amateur golfer is the first European amateur to sign an NIL contract with Under Armour. Kris Kim is also the first British amateur to sign an NIL deal with TaylorMade, so he's more than up and coming.
Kim doesn't need to do well this weekend, but it would be a nice bonus for himself if he did. He's on the right track, and a nice showing would cement him as a future star.