Sihwan Kim will make his first start this season on the European Challenge Tour when he tees it up this week in the D+D REAL Czech Challenge at Golf & Spa Kunětická Hora— a venue that has been kind to his fellow countrymen.
The American enters the week revitalised and carrying a degree of momentum from his play on the European Tour.
Kim has made the cut in each of his four European Tour starts this year, which have included a solo third finish at the Hero Indian Open and a tied 11thplace showing at the Volvo China Open.
All of which stands in contrast to a 2017 campaign that, despite a tied second finish at the Swedish Challenge hosted by Robert Karlsson, saw Kim make only three cuts in nine appearances on the Challenge Tour.
The year was one to forget for Kim, who burst onto the golf scene by winning the prestigious US Junior Amateur Championship at the age of 15 and then joining the Stanford University Men’s Golf team—the same team Tiger Woods once represented— before turning pro in 2011.
There is little doubt that the 30 year old possesses the talent that is needed to achieve at an elite level, which is perhaps why he has placed a greater onus on himself since the end of last season.
“I was going back and forth between coaches,” Kim said. “But now, I’m just playing purely off my feel and not caring about mechanics so much. I’ve been trying to play as freely as possible.”
The results thus far have backed up the new approach. Kim has gone from 447thto 262ndin the Official World Golf Ranking in 2018 alone.
“Trusting myself kind of got me going and got my confidence back,” he said.
In an event that was won last year by American Julian Suri, and one where, in 2013, Brooks Koepka shot the course record – a ten under par round of 62 – Kim will aim to continue his rise up the World Ranking.
“I’ve been here before and I think it’s a really good golf course,” the Florida resident said. “Personally, I like it and so hopefully I can produce this week.”
The D+D REAL Czech Challenge runs from May 24-27 and offers a prize fund of €200,000 as well as valuable ranking points for competitors on the 2018 Road to Ras Al Khaimah.
