As if the likes of 20-somethings Ludvig Aberg, Tom Kim, Nick Dunlap and more, arriving on the PGA Tour weren’t enough, a couple of high-schoolers are turning heads in pro golf right now.
Last month, 15-year-old Miles Russell dazzled in a T20 finish at the Korn Ferry Tour’s LECOM Suncoast Classic, earning him another start last week on the development Tour.
This week, the golf world is being introduced to Kris Kim, the latest teenage golf phenomenon.
In his first-ever PGA Tour start Kim at 16 years, 7 months and 3 days became the fifth youngest player to make the cut on the PGA Tour after he opened the CJ Cup Byron Nelson with rounds of 68 and 67. He also breaks Jordan Spieth’s record for being the youngest player to make the cut at the Dallas event. Spieth was a few months older than Kim when he finished T16 at this event in 2010.
Kim is also the youngest player to make the cut on the PGA Tour since Kyle Suppa at the 2015 Sony Open. The youngest ever was Guan Tianlang, who was 14 when he made the cust at both the Masters and Zurich Classic in 2013.
On Saturday, the English amateur didn’t let his foot off the gas, making four birdies on his front nine on his way to a third-round one-under 70, his third consecutive round under par to start his PGA Tour career.
Kim’s tee shot never left the flagstick on the 224-yard par-3 4th, nearly resulting in an ace and leaving his parents starstruck. His mother is former LPGA Tour player and South Korea native Ji-Hyun Suh.
“Them being there makes it that much better I think,” Kim said of his parents being here this week. “Yeah, missing some school as well for my brother, but, yeah, other than that it’s still been good.”
His parents aren’t the only ones impressed by the talent of the high schooler. Kim has been the biggest draw at a fairly sleepy CJ Cup Byron Nelson with just only a few major names in the field.
After finishing his third round Saturday, the teenager stayed behind to sign some autographs for fans only a handful of years younger than him.
Nothing like being 16 years old and having a bunch of kids ask for your autograph. Kris Kim having himself a week in Dallas pic.twitter.com/WRKWxFxGPf
“It’s been really cool. Makes it a little bit more fun playing with the crowds in my opinion,” Kim said. “Yeah, it was just such a good experience today.”
Jack Hirsh is the Associate Equipment Editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.
