Dream Tour Prize Money Leader Kim Seoyoon: "I Want to Resemble Player Kim Yeonkyung"

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"Winning and Rookie of the Year... Dreaming of Entering the US Stage"

"Kim Yeon-kyung is my role model."

These are the words of Kim Seo-yoon, last year's Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Dream (2nd division) Tour money leader. She is a rookie born in 2002 who is joining the regular tour this year. She is regarded as a key figure leading the rookie wave. In an interview with Asia Economy on the 13th, Kim Seo-yoon said, "I really like volleyball queen Kim Yeon-kyung," adding, "Her skills and attitude toward competition are very impressive." She continued, "I also want to emulate Kim Yeon-kyung's charisma," and confidently stated, "I will show a great performance on the field."

‘Dream Tour Prize Money King’ Kim Seo-yoon said, "My goal is to win quickly on the 1st Tour as well," adding, "There are many good rookies, but I definitely want to win Rookie of the Year."
[Photo by KLPGA]

Kim Seo-yoon's story of how she started golf is interesting. When she was in the 4th grade of elementary school, her father suggested she play golf after watching Choi Na-yeon win on the U.S. Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour. Kim Seo-yoon recalled, "At first, I didn't know much about golf and didn't want to go to the practice range," but "after trying it, I realized it was an interesting sport." She added, "Now, I really enjoy golf," explaining the charm of golf by saying, "Course management allows me to play strategically."

Kim Seo-yoon showed impressive performances even during her amateur days. As a middle school student, she represented Chungnam Province and won at the National Youth Sports Festival. After entering high school, she topped the podium at the 2018 YG Cup and the 2019 MaeKyung Solrago Cup. In 2020, she was part of the national team reserve squad. Although she finished 5th in the national team selection tournament and missed out on the national team badge, her potential was evident.

In her third year of high school, Kim Seo-yoon gained recognition by winning the program "Tomorrow's Hero, Swinging Toward Dreams," hosted by the "living legend" Park Se-ri.

She soared after turning professional. In 2022, she won the 1st and 3rd events of the Dream Tour. Achieving two wins in a single season within 22 days, she became a "multi-champion" at the fastest pace since Ahn Sun-joo in 2005 (who did so in 16 days). Kim Seo-yoon dominated the 2nd division by also winning the final championship, the King of Kings Tournament, and secured her 1st division tour card for this year as the Dream Tour money leader. She smiled and said, "My goal was three wins last year, and I completed it at the last tournament. I think I did well."

Kim Seo-yoon left for Thailand on January 22 and returned on the 27th of last month. She sweated it out for 35 days at a training camp led by Korean-American Kenny Kim. Most notably, she had the fortune of being roommates with Lim Hee-jung, who has won five KLPGA Tour titles including two majors. Kim Seo-yoon proudly said, "I learned a lot about green-side situations and wedge shots while practicing rounds with Hee-jung unnie," calling it "an unforgettable time."

Kim Seo-yoon gained confidence that she can compete on the 1st division tour as well. In December last year, she finished 18th at the 2023 season's Hana Financial Group Singapore Ladies Open held overseas, and 20th at the PLK Pacific Links Korea Championship. She made the cut in both tournaments, ranking 19th in prize money (16.41 million KRW) and 1st in rookie points (184 points). Kim Seo-yoon honestly said, "Two emotions coexist. It's not an easy place, but I felt I could definitely compete."

Kim Seo-yoon dominated the second-tier tour last year, securing three wins including the Dream Tour Championship.
[Photo by Crowning]

Kim Seo-yoon is a player equipped with consistency. Her average drive distance is 240 yards, and above all, her "piercing iron shots" are her strength. Last year on the Dream Tour, she ranked 2nd in average strokes (69.83), 23rd in average putts (30.60), and 2nd in greens in regulation (82.94%). Her iron shots are especially accurate. She emphasized, "I am confident targeting 115-120 meters with a 9-iron," adding, "During the Thailand training camp, I didn't push to increase distance but focused on enhancing my strength, which is accuracy."

Kim Seo-yoon's goals are winning and Rookie of the Year. This year, there are many strong rookies including Kim Min-byeol, who topped the qualifying tournament, as well as Hwang Yu-min, Seo Eo-jin, Lee Ji-hyun, Kim Min-seon, Jung Si-woo, and Choi Ga-bin. Fierce competition is expected more than any other year. Kim Seo-yoon expressed her ambition, saying, "I don't want to set a specific number of wins. My goal is to win as soon as possible," and "If I keep playing, I believe wins will follow. There are many good players, but I definitely want to win Rookie of the Year as well."

After finishing overseas training, Kim Seo-yoon is now focusing on rounds in Korea. Last week, she honed her practical skills at Ferrum Club CC in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province. This course is the battleground for the second tournament of the year, the Mediheal-Korea Daily Championship. She analyzed, "The greens are tricky and have severe undulations," adding, "The score can be affected depending on where the ball lands." She further analyzed, "The difficulty level is different from the 2nd division tour. I think I need to target the course more precisely."

Kim Seo-yoon wants to be a smart golfer. She said, "I want to be told that my play is sharp," and "I want to be a strategist who targets shots according to the hole situation." After developing her skills domestically, Kim Seo-yoon plans to advance to the LPGA Tour. She is determined to showcase her skills worldwide. Kim Seo-yoon will make her domestic debut at the Lotte Rent-a-Car Ladies Open on the 6th of next month. Her caddie will be Jang Min-gyu, who has carried bags for Cho A-yeon and Son Ye-bin. Kim Seo-yoon smiled and said, "I am already looking forward to the domestic season opener," and "I ask everyone to come to the tournament venue and cheer for me."