Duke golfer Gina Kim part of growing trend of college athletes leaving early for pros
Gina Kim set her sights on a professional golfing career as an elementary school student, and a young one at that.
“I’m a very decisive person,” Kim said. “And anybody who knows me well, knows that. I started golf seriously when I was 8. And that was when I made the decision.”
Winning two individual state championships during her Chapel Hill High School career set her on her way.
The only time she wavered was during her freshman year at Duke, a season when she tied for 10th in the NCAA individual competition and, in match play, helped the Blue Devils to the NCAA title.
“I just loved college so much,” Kim said.
But earlier this month, her longtime goal overpowered that love. With her senior season about to begin, Kim turned professional and gave up her final year of eligibility with the Blue Devils.
“I realized I managed to do what I wanted to do as an amateur golfer,” Kim said. “I’ve pretty much achieved everything I wanted to.”
This is no hardship situation. Kim’s parents are both professors at UNC-Chapel Hill. She will work on completing her psychology degree from Duke this semester while playing out-of-town tournaments.
Gina Kim is not alone
Kim is part of a growing trend, not only in women’s golf, but other sports where athletes are taking the initiative to leave school for professional sports sometimes in the middle of their college season.
Houston junior golfer Karen Fredgaard, a first-team All-American last season, announced her decision to turn pro in December, so the Cougars don’t have her this spring.
At Arizona, sisters Yu-Sang Hou and Vivian Hou left the Wildcats for professional golf last fall after going through the LPGA Qualifying Series along with Kim and Fredgaard.
In basketball, Memphis freshman James Wiseman left his team in December 2019 during an eligibility battle with the NCAA, and was selected No. 2 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors.
A year ago, it was Duke’s Jalen Johnson who left the Blue Devils midseason and later withdrew from school in the second semester of his freshman year to focus on NBA Draft preparation. The Atlanta Hawks picked him No. 20 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Prior to the draft, he bristled at people who say his decision to leave the team midseason reflected poorly on him.
“The fact that people are saying I’m a bad-character kid off essentially a decision I made — a 19-year-old kid made — it’s kind of crazy at the end of the day,” Johnson said during a pre-draft news conference. “Whoever’s saying that, it’s just not true, so I’m just excited to get into the league and kind of just shine a better light on my name.”
In hockey, around the time Kim was finalizing her golfing decision, Minnesota goalie Jack LaFontaine signed with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, one day after manning the net as the Gophers beat Michigan State, 6-3.
LaFontaine sounded a lot like Kim when giving his reasons for such a move.
“I think this opportunity is special in the sense that I’ve been working toward the goal of playing in the NHL since about the age of 7,” The News & Observer previously reported. “All my actions, all my sacrifices, all my work have been for the common goal of playing in the NHL. Saying that, I’ve just got to take it to the dance.”
Qualifying success
Kim’s opportunity to turn professional early emerged from her LPGA Q Series success last fall.
After winning the ACC individual championship as Duke won the team league title last May, Kim then finished tied for fifth at the NCAA championships.
At LPGA Qualifying School, she placed first in Stage One at 15-under-par over four rounds. In the LPGA Qualifying Series, which covers eight rounds over two weeks, she tied for 35th at 5-under. Since the top 45 and ties earn LPGA membership, Kim had earned the chance to reach her dream.
She had the option of joining the pro tour after her senior season with the Blue Devils. But the pandemic influenced her decision to leave the team early. When athletic schedules were interrupted over the first two years of the pandemic, Kim used the time to take extra classes.
“So I’m actually ahead of my academic schedule,” she said. “Even though I left the team, I’m still a student at Duke and I will graduate on time in May. That was kind of the one non-negotiable thing for me was that, you know, I will walk out of here with a degree.”
So instead of playing for Duke in the first half of 2022, Kim is playing professional tournaments.
First steps to the LPGA
As an LPGA tour newcomer, she’s only guaranteed to play in three tournaments. She has to go through Monday qualifying to earn a spot in other events.
Her first crack at that came on Jan. 24 as she sought a spot in the Gainbridge in Boca Raton, Florida. But her 5-over-par result left her out of the field.
She’ll try again on Jan. 31, seeking a spot in the field for the LPGA Drive on Championship from Feb. 3-5.
Even without qualifying for LPGA events, Kim can also play on the Symetra Tour, which is the LPGA’s developmental tour.
No matter. Unlike when she played in the 2019 U.S. Open as an amateur, finishing 12th overall with the lowest amateur score, Kim has now reached her goal. She’s a professional golfer.
“I’m actually competing with these girls for money,” Kim said. “You know, it’s definitely a bit of a big transition for me to make. But I guess that’s where the pressure’s coming from. I’m still a rookie, so I’m not trying to put too much pressure on myself in terms of results.”