The teenager is the son of former South Korean LPGA player Ji-Hyun Suh. “I’m definitely going to ask my mom for advice,” Kim said. “It will be a very different environment and you don’t know how you will react to it.
“She’ll help me deal with this.” He’s my coach and we talk about everything from dealing with nerves, taking one shot at a time, leaving bad shots behind and keeping things simple, to course strategy .
“My first goal is to make the cut and then see what happens. I am one of 144 competitors and we all have a chance.
“Whatever happens, it will be very helpful for my future because I will gain so much experience. I know I’m still young and almost every week I learn a lesson, but this week is going to be much more important.
Kim began playing as a junior at Cuddington Golf Club in Surrey, where he could be seen practicing tirelessly after school and during holidays.
“I’ve never known a more dedicated young person,” Cuddington director of golf Paul Schunter told BBC Sport. “And he couldn’t have asked for better parents.”
“They have been so encouraging. All the impetus came from Kris because he always wanted to play and train more and more.
Kim emerged under the command of DP World Tour star Stephen Gallacher at the Junior Ryder Cup last September. He won three and a half points out of four; beating 15-year-old Miles Russell 5&4 in singles at Marco Simone near Rome.
Last week, Russell made headlines in the United States by qualifying for the Korn Ferry Tour’s Suncoast Classic in Florida.
“I can’t wait to perform in front of big crowds again,” Kim said. “I’ve never hit the ball as far as I did at the Ryder Cup.
“The adrenaline rush makes golf so much fun. That said, after playing the course and a few other courses on the tour, I appreciate the task ahead of me and look forward to the challenge.
Prominent figures at England Golf view Kim and Woad as the country’s two leading prospects. Woad, 20, won the recent Augusta National Women’s Amateur by birdieing the final two holes at the home of the Masters.
The victory earned him an invitation to play the Chevron Championship earlier this month at Carlton Woods in Texas. Woad was in the top 10 at the halfway mark while a string of superstars, including Ireland’s Leona Maguire and France’s Céline Boutier, missed the cut.
Woad finished in 23rd place before returning to Florida State University where she now juggles her studies with elite amateur and college tournaments.
Kim, meanwhile, expects to make his PGA Tour debut while studying for his GCSEs. “I’ll try to revise, I promise, but it’s quite hard,” he said with a laugh. “My schedule is pretty busy at the moment.”
