Who's who: Sei Young Kim

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Who's who: Sei Young Kim

  • Name:

    Sei Young Kim
  • Country:

    South Korea
  • Born:

    Jan 21, 1993 in Seoul, South Korea.
  • Original/Home Club:

  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer
  • Turned Pro:

    2010

Roll of Honour

MAJORS (1): Women's PGA Championship (2020). Multiple wins on the LPGA and LPGA of Korea tours. US LPGA Rookie of the Year (2015). Race to the CME Globe Champion (2019).

Did you know?

Kim was the clear winner of the US LPGA Tour's Rookie of the Year Award in 2015, recording three wins in that year and finishing fourth on the money list.

With at least one LPGA Tour win in each of the following years, Kim gained her first major championship title in 2020 in the Women's PGA Championship at the famed Aronimink Golf Club.

Kim is a black belt in Taekwondo.

Top tournaments won by Sei Young Kim

2020
Awards
118 pts
n/a
Rolex

Category

Awards

Winner (holder)

Kim, Sei Young

Venue

Score

118 pts

Prize money

n/a

Title sponsor

Rolex

Sei Young Kim (S Kor) won the LPGA 2020 Rolex Player of the Year Award with 118 pts, based on a points system for top 10 finishes and performance in Majors. Inbee Park (S Kor) was second with 112 pts; Danielle Kang (USA) was third with 87 pts.

2020
America
Pelican GC, Tampa
266 (-14)
$225,000
DEX / Konica

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Kim, Sei Young

Venue

Pelican GC, Tampa

Score

266 (-14)

Prize money

$225,000

Title sponsor

DEX / Konica

Played as the inaugural Pelican Women's Championship presented by DEX Imaging & Konica Minolta (Nov 19-22). Second-placed Ally McDonald (USA) finished 3 shots behind Sei Young Kim (S Kor). Kim recorded her second straight win on the LPGA Tour, having won the Women's PGA Championship on her previous start. [Pelican GC, Belleair, nr Tampa, FL].

2020
Majors
266 (-14)
$645,000
KPMG

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Kim, Sei Young

Score

266 (-14)

Prize money

$645,000

Title sponsor

KPMG

The KPMG Women's PGA Championship (66th) (Oct 8-11; postponed from June 25-28 due to world coronavirus pandemic). Second-placed Inbee Park (S Kor) finished 5 shots behind 27-year-old Sei Young Kim (S Kor), who recorded her first major championship win. [Aronimink GC, Newton Square, PA].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Kim, Sei Young

Score

270 (-18)

Prize money

$1,500,000

Title sponsor

CME

Played as the CME Group Tour Championship (Nov 21-24; LPGA Tr season-ending event). Second-placed Charley Hull (Eng) finished 1 shot behind Sei Young Kim (S Kor), who recorded her tenth LPGA Tour win. In winning this event, Kim was named the 2019 "Race to the CME Globe Champion" and claimed the $1.5 million first prize, the largest single prize in the history of women's golf. [Gold course, Tiburón GC, Naples, FL].

2019
America
Lake Merced GC
281 (-7)
$270,000
Mediheal

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Kim, Sei Young

Venue

Lake Merced GC

Score

281 (-7)

Prize money

$270,000

Title sponsor

Mediheal

Played as the LPGA Mediheal Championship (May 2-5). Sei Young Kim (S Kor) beat Bronte Law (Eng) and Jeongeun Lee (S Kor; playing as Jeongeun Lee6), with a birdie at the first playoff hole (par-5 18th). [Lake Merced GC, San Francisco, CA].

2019
America
Highland Meadows
262 (-22)
$262,500
Marathon

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Kim, Sei Young

Venue

Highland Meadows

Score

262 (-22)

Prize money

$262,500

Title sponsor

Marathon

Played as the Marathon Classic presented by Dana (July 11-14). Second-placed Lexi Thompson (USA) finished 2 shots behind Sei Young Kim (S Kor). [Highland Meadows GC, Sylvania, nr Toledo, OH].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Kim, Sei Young

Score

257 (-31)

Prize money

$300,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic (July 5-8). Second-placed Carlota Ciganda (Esp) finished 9 shots behind Park (S Kor). With rounds of 63, 65, 64 and 65 Park posted the lowest ever 72-hole aggregate score in LPGA Tour history and the Tour's lowest ever score against par. [Thornberry Creek at Oneida, nr Green Bay, Wisconsin].

2017
America
1 hole
$250,000
Citibanamex

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Kim, Sei Young

Score

1 hole

Prize money

$250,000

Title sponsor

Citibanamex

Played as the Citibanamex Lorena Ochoa Match Play presented by Aeromexico and Delta (May 4-7; formerly a stroke play event). Kim (S Kor) beat Ariya Jutanugarn (Thai) by 1 hole in the 18-hole final. [Club de Golf Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico].

2016
America
261 (-27)
$225,000
JTBC

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Kim, Sei Young

Score

261 (-27)

Prize money

$225,000

Title sponsor

JTBC

Played as the JTBC Founders Cup (March 17-20). Second-placed Lydia Ko (NZ) finished 5 shots behind Sei Young Kim (S Kor). Kim's 27-under-par equalled Annika Sorenstam's LPGA Tour scoring record for 72-hole in relation to par. [Wildfire GC, Phoenix, AZ; composite of back-nines of Palmer & Faldo courses].

2016
America
Blythefield CC
267 (-17)
$300,000
Meijer

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Kim, Sei Young

Venue

Blythefield CC

Score

267 (-17)

Prize money

$300,000

Title sponsor

Meijer

Played as the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Giving (June 16-19). Sei Young Kim (S Kor) beat Carlota Ciganda (Esp) with a birdie at the first playoff hole (par-4 18th). [Blythefield CC, Belmont, nr Grand Rapids, Michigan].

2015
America
277 (-11)
$270,000
Lotte

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Kim, Sei Young

Score

277 (-11)

Prize money

$270,000

Title sponsor

Lotte

Played as the Lotte Championship presented by Hershey (April 15-18). Sei Young Kim (S Kor) beat Inbee Park (S Kor) with an eagle at the first playoff hole, holing-out from 154 yards with an 8-iron. [Ko Olina GC, Kapolei, Oahu, Hawaii].

2015
Awards
1,523 pts
$1,820,056
Rolex

Category

Awards

Winner (holder)

Kim, Sei Young

Venue

Score

1,523 pts

Prize money

$1,820,056

Title sponsor

Rolex

Kim (S Kor) won the LPGA Tour 2015 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award as the leading first-season player. Using a season-long points system (based on finishes in Tour events), Kim accumulated 1,523 pts; Hyo Joo Kim (S Kor) was second with 1,255 pts; Minjee Lee (Aus) third with 1,163 pts. Kim finished fourth on the LPGA money list, with earnings of $1,820,056.

Category

Asia

Winner (holder)

Kim, Sei Young

Score

286 (-2)

Prize money

US$300,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the Blue Bay LPGA (Oct 29-Nov 1; LPGA Tr event). Second-placed Kim Kaufman (USA), Stacy Lewis (USA) and Candie Kung (Taiw) finished 1 shot behind Sei Young Kim (S Kor), who recorded her third LPGA Tour win in 2015. [Jian Lake Blue Bay GC, nr Lingshui, Hainan Island].

2015
America
278 (-14)
$195,000
Pure Silk

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Kim, Sei Young

Score

278 (-14)

Prize money

$195,000

Title sponsor

Pure Silk

Played as the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic (Feb 5-8). Tour rookie and first-time LPGA Tour winner Sei Young Kim (S Kor) beat Sun-young Yoo (S Kor) and Ariya Jutanugarn (Thai) with a birdie at the first playoff hole. [Ocean Club, Paradise Island, New Providence, Bahamas].

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