ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — IK Kim, the second player to retire this week at St. Andrews, kept the news to herself until the night before the final round. The 36-year-old called her parents, her coaches, and her best friend to let them know that Sunday’s round over the Old Course would be her last on the LPGA.
“They really tried to talk me out of it,” said Kim, noting that even the first-tee starter, Alastair Scott, implored her to come back.
After the round, a teary-eyed Kim shared the news with her good friend, R&A chief Martin Slumbers. They’d played together in a pro-am back in 2018, the year after she’d won the AIG Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns. Kim didn’t know who Slumbers was at the time but has grown to admire the way he has stewarded the Royal and Ancient, particularly when it came to women’s golf and environmental efforts. Kim told Slumbers years ago that she wouldn’t retire until she played Muirfield, the historic club she’d only read about.
“When I did, I felt so satisfied,” she said of the 2022 championship, “and at the same time, I wasn’t sure what I want to do with my life.”
So she carried on.
The shy and cerebral Kim, now in her 18th year as a professional golfer, didn’t pause when she walked over the Swilcan Bridge this morning. Media officials convinced her to come back hours after her round had concluded to talk about a career that included seven victories and one of the most painful short misses in the game’s history at the 2012 ANA Inspiration.
For a long time, Kim’s career was defined by a 14-inch putt. She hired mental coaches, including Vision54 and a sports psychologist who worked with NASA. She couldn’t escape questions about the putt that cost her a major title. Even strangers would cry in front of her about it. Understandably, she wasn’t sure how to react to that.
But she learned over the years to be more compassionate toward herself. A brave Kim came over to the U.S. by herself as a teenager without knowing any English. She’d convinced her father that she’d have more fun competing in America.
After a few short months she’d won a USGA championship, dusting Inbee Park 5 and 4 in the final match of the 2005 U.S. Girls’ Junior.
With the help of her host parents, rapper 50 Cent and American reality television, Kim’s language barrier began to crumble, and three years later, she won her first title on the LPGA.
In 2010, Kim made headlines when she donated her entire winner’s check, – $220,000 – from the 2010 Lorena Ochoa Invitational. She gave half to the Lorena Ochoa Foundation, which focuses on education for the underprivileged, and half to an American charity.
As an ambassador for the Special Olympics, she donated $100,000 to help expand golf’s presence in the games.
The charitable Kim isn’t sure what’s next, but, as a woman with many interests, it won’t be hard for her to find something else that’s fulfilling.
“I’m most proud of the hard work that I’ve put into,” said Kim. “I wasn’t the most talented or the most gifted, but I loved the game. I was willing to travel anywhere to play golf and learn the game, and I wanted to thank all the girls here. I’ve learned so much from them.”
Kim teared up as she talked about the relationships she’s made on tour. She’d had a good cry session with former No. 1 Yani Tseng earlier in the day.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone,” said a heartfelt Kim. “My career has been a lot of up and down, but you guys made it all beautiful.”
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Here’s a look back on IK Kim’s career in photos:
