Aug 12

US Women's Am Update: Kim Kim to win win?

I’m just too giddy for words. Another Hawaiian teenager, Miss Kimberly Kim from Hilo, has qualified for the finals of the Women’s am. She faces a marauding German in Katharina Schallenberg, so she’ll need to be on top of her game to win the 36-hole marathon on Sunday.

Neither Kim Kim nor Schallenber was heralded as a contender when the event began. Both qualified within seven strokes of the medalist (KatSchall at 143, and Kim Kim at 146), so they certainly have not astonished, say, as much as a Leah Wigger (the 64th qualifier) might have.

The bigger names went out fairly early. Isabelle Lendl (Ivan’s daughter) lost in round one after qualifying 9th. Ya-Ni Tseng, who dusted Wie a few years back in the Pub Links final, also lost in round one. Most of the Curtis Cup team on both sides was gone early. Only Stacy Lewis of the US side made it through to the semis, where she barely lost to Schallenberg on the 19th hole.

If we take a look at Kim Kim’s victims, they reveal an interesting pattern. In round one, she dusted New York’s finest, Megan Grehan, by a 2 and 1 margin. Round two brought a 1-up victory over Lauren Espinosa of Texas. Allison Whitaker of Australia was a game opponent in round three, falling to Kim-Squared, 3 and 2. Eileen Vargas of the Republic of Colombia dropped next, by a 3 and 1 margin in the quarters. Lindy Duncan of Florida was the latest victim, a 1-down loser in the semis. What is the pattern you ask? Actually, there is none. I just wanted to keep you on pins and needles.

On Sunday, Schallenber and my new favorite nickname, Kim Kim, will do battle. The major networks will not pay lots of attention, but the winner will hoist a gold trophy and receive a number of exemptions and opportunities. Will either one succeed professionally? Probably not. However, the triumph will be an unforgettable one.

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8 comments

§ Randy Hebert said on : 08/13/06 @ 00:24
I actually got to watch the semis on TV this evening. Kim Kim is actually a pretty impressive amatuer given her age. That iron shot into 16 was a thing of beauty.To a pin she couldn't see well tucked behind a bunker, to draw the ball over the short side of the green to 2 feet was fearless. Or perhaps as Dottie said, oblivious, haha. I can think of several less confident pros who would have bailed to the left of the pin on that one. You're probably right, maybe neither will be pros someday, but it's refreshing to see people playing hard without all the money on the line. This title is a big deal in the amateur world , so good luck to both ladies tomorrow.On a sidenote I wonder if a certain young 15 year old from Hawaii who also qualified for the Mens US Open like Kim Kim did the Womens will be able to advance as far as she has in the upcoming Mens US Amateur.
§ Monkey Fish said on : 08/13/06 @ 11:26
I hope the German wins. Sieg Heil!
§ Jim C said on : 08/13/06 @ 17:25
How can you say that Kimberley Kim will probably not succeed professionally? She would need to get better. but at 14 she figures to get better.
§ Ron Mon® said on : 08/13/06 @ 18:28
The odds of succeeding professionally depend on one's definition of success. In any possible scenario, the odds of two finalists having success professionally are not very good. As such, I stand by my claim. Hopefully she'll choose a good college.
§ Daniel Kinoshita said on : 08/14/06 @ 02:30
Won't succeed as a LPGA professional? Hard to believe you said that. After all she came second and first in the two most important amateur women's competition in 2006--the Public Links and Open--and qualified for the professional Women's Open, being the youngest female golfer ever to make the cut, playing all four rounds. What's not to like about her future; she hit the ball long and almost never missed her short puts in the Women's Open amateur final. She has the potential for sure.
§ Ron Mon® said on : 08/14/06 @ 20:30
"She has the potential for sure."

I agree...I have the potential, if I have gender reassignment. We all have potential. The odds of her realizing that potential are slim to none, just as they are for all top amateurs. Very few of them "make" it. Leave your feelings aside, look at those who have not made it, and join my team of believers.
§ Brandon Tucker® said on : 08/15/06 @ 03:10
There's only one way to find out if she'll make it as a pro: We've gotta get her as many sponsor's exemptions into PGA tourneys as we can, and fast. Heck why don't we just make half the PGA field teenaged girls? That'll keep the pros on their toes.
§ Johnny N. said on : 08/15/06 @ 10:37
Comment from: Daniel Kinoshita:
and qualified for the professional Women's Open, being the youngest female golfer ever to make the cut, playing all four rounds.
__________________________

That is incorrect.
Michelle Wie qualified for the US Open as a 13 year old and played all four rounds, and got 39th position.