It’s the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open. The likes of Jin Young Ko and Amy Olson are trying their best to come out on top at the major championship. But little do they know that it would be A Lim Kim, who was not even a part of the LPGA Tour back then, who would emerge victorious on Sunday. Fast forward to 2024, and she has become part of the women’s circuit and turned many heads. So much so that curiosity has arisen about her cultural background.

Born on October 4, 1995, not much information has been made available about her parents. However, owing to her being a South Korean, she has played on the LPGA of Korea Tour since 2016, according to the LPGA Tour bio. Since then, she has raked in as many as three wins on the same; the 2018 OK SavingsBank Se Ri Pak Invitational and the 2019 Munyoung Queens Park Championship, not to mention the 2022 Creas F&C KLPGA Championship.

As a result of the first two victories she carded on the Korean circuit, the golfer was able to gain entry into the U.S. Women’s Open held in Houston in 2020. The absence of any open qualifying owing to COVID-19 proved to be helpful for the South Korean, as she managed to become part of the field due to her world ranking at that time.

What transpired after that is known to many. A Lim Kim, in her major debut, managed to birdie her final three holes at Champions Golf Club’s Cypress Creek Course on Monday to card a figure of 3-under overall 282 to win the same. By doing so, she became the seventh golfer to dish out a five-stroke comeback during the final round and win the U.S. Women’s Open. The last one who did that was Annika Sorenstam back in 1995.

“I’m very honored to win the 75th U.S. Women’s Open,” said the pro back in 2020 before recounting her experience playing in her country. “It feels different winning the tournament here. Back in Korea, the style and the environment are different… Glad we had the U.S. Women’s Open held in Houston. It was a great win.” But interestingly, her fortune didn’t end there. She was soon able to become part of the LPGA Tour owing to her major victory.

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A Lim Kim’s run on the LPGA Tour

With the major win, the golfer was able to accept membership in the LPGA Tour in 2021, allowing her to rake in a figure of $410.7 K from a total of 15 cuts made from 23 starts. The following year, the athlete was able to tee off in 29 events, out of which she missed the cut only two times and recorded four top-10 finishes over the same. Although 2024, till now, has not been that noteworthy, A Lim Kim has made the most earnings this year.

The South Korean LPGA Tour Pro, in 2024, has teed off in a total of 22 events, out of which she made the cut 19 times. Consequently, the athlete was able to rake in a figure of $880,260, all thanks to her finishes, which also included three top-10 placements, the best of which came from a T3 at the Amundi Evian Championship, which Ayaka Furue won. Regardless of her recent finishes, A Lim Kim’s most important of victories remains the 2020 U.S. Open. For it was thanks to that she was able to gain entry into the LPGA Tour!