Mindy Kim was born in South Korea, but came to California as a young girl. She qualified for the Futures Tour while still 17 years old, and played that tour in 2007, where her top finish was a tie for fifth. She easily maintained her tour card for 2008.
2008 was her breakout year on the Futures. Still only 18, one of the youngest girls on tour, she started her year with top tens in two of her first three events. But it was at the Mercedes Championship in Kansas in mid-May that Mindy broke through with her first win. She followed that up with another victory at the following event, the Aurora Health Care Championship.
From that point on, Kim rarely finished outside of the top ten. In August, she collected a third win in Kentucky, pretty much sealing her tour card for the LPGA in 2009. In the end, she finished second on the money list with $79,270, a total that would have led the money list almost any other year, but was still behind Korean American star Vicky Hurst in 2008.
Mindy's rookie year on the LPGA wasn't that great, although she did finish well enough on the money list (92nd) to maintain reasonable status on tour. She had only a single top ten, qualified for only one Major, and made less than $100,000.
She had roughly the same kind of season in 2010, making slightly less money but finishing slightly higher on the money list. Her status will remain category 11 for the 2011 season.
2008 was her breakout year on the Futures. Still only 18, one of the youngest girls on tour, she started her year with top tens in two of her first three events. But it was at the Mercedes Championship in Kansas in mid-May that Mindy broke through with her first win. She followed that up with another victory at the following event, the Aurora Health Care Championship.
From that point on, Kim rarely finished outside of the top ten. In August, she collected a third win in Kentucky, pretty much sealing her tour card for the LPGA in 2009. In the end, she finished second on the money list with $79,270, a total that would have led the money list almost any other year, but was still behind Korean American star Vicky Hurst in 2008.
Mindy's rookie year on the LPGA wasn't that great, although she did finish well enough on the money list (92nd) to maintain reasonable status on tour. She had only a single top ten, qualified for only one Major, and made less than $100,000.
She had roughly the same kind of season in 2010, making slightly less money but finishing slightly higher on the money list. Her status will remain category 11 for the 2011 season.
Mindy Kim Pics
