Walton Heath golfer Kris Kim was crowned with the 2024 England Golf Performance of the Year award at Tuesday’s England Golf Centenary Dinner & Awards at The Midland Manchester Hotel.
The 16-year-old is one to watch in the golfing world after his magnificent 2023 saw him pick up a host of accolades.
As well as the Fairhaven Trophy and the McGregor Trophy (English Boys’ U16), Kim won the coveted R&A Boys’ Amateur Championship.
The Surrey youngster also enjoyed team success with England as he picked up a bronze medal at the European Boys’ Team Championship, while helping England Boys & Girls win The R&A Home Internationals. He was also shown live on Sky Sports as he helped Team Europe to a convincing Junior Ryder Cup win over the USA.
Upon winning the award, Kim said: “It feels amazing and like all my hard work has paid off. It means so much because the people in the room are all doing an amazing job in golf and also the names that have been on this trophy in the past, is outstanding.
“Mainly the British Boys Championship and the Junior Ryder Cup stick out for me. The result at the British Boys’ event got me into the Ryder Cup and the Ryder Cup was out of this world. That week was amazing and I’m so thankful to all the pros for talking to us, it was an unreal experience. When we got back home I got back to normal life and it felt very weird!
“In terms of moments from 2023, the MacGregor Trophy in the play-off to win it, I think that showed my hard work with my putting which I’ve struggled with a bit. Holing those two putts on the two play-off holes meant a lot.
“I’m thankful to so many people. I’d like to thank all the England Golf coaches and selectors because without them I wouldn’t be in places to play good golf, as well as my sponsors and parents coming round the world with me too.
“I’m aiming to play in the DP World Tour Q School to try and follow in the footsteps of Josh Berry and to try and get in a major would be huge. I’ve got an exemption into the final qualifying into The Open because of the British Boys’ Championship, so that’s my target.”
“Golf is so good because it represents life too. There can be so many ups and downs – you can be playing the best golf of your life one week and then next week you don’t know how to swing the club! It’s the ups and downs I enjoy.”