The body is tired, but the face is bright.
This is the story of Kim Ah-rim, the ‘Queen of Long Hits’. Kim A-lim, who is playing on the US Women’s Professional Golf (LPGA) tour, has returned to Korea for a while. It is to become the defending champion at the 45th KLPGA Championship (total prize money of 1.3 billion won) of the Korean Women’s Professional Golf (KLPGA) Tour Major Chris F&C, which opened on the 27th at Lakewood Country Club Mountain Road and Forest Course (par 72, 6570 yards) in Gyeonggi-do, Yangju, Gyeonggi-do. . In an interview with Asia Economy on the 26th, Kim A-rim said, “I think the week will pass by really hectic,” she laughed.
Kim A-lim arrived at Incheon International Airport at 5:00 pm on the 25th after finishing the LPGA Tour Major Chevron Championship on the 24th. She immediately moved to the competition site and did recovery exercises for two hours from 8:00 pm. He did a nine-hole practice round from 11:30 a.m. after checking his shots early on the 26th as well. He followed up with a photo call event and an interview, and has been digesting the contest since the 27th. Kim A-rim said, “Even after the tournament, he must visit his sponsor, Hanwha Q Cells, and have a profile picture and meeting,” and “a tight schedule to leave for Florida, where he is home in the United States on May 2.” After reorganizing in Florida, he moves to New Jersey, where the Founders Cup will be held.
Alim Kim’s friends are very talented. Ko Jin-young, Kim Hyo-joo, Baek Gyu-gyu, and Kim Min-seon were all born in 1995. Kim A-rim said, “I think they are golf geniuses,” and said, “It is very helpful because players who have a lot to learn are friends.” Regarding Kim Hyo-joo, Kim A-rim said, “He is a master. He is a player who has nothing he can’t do.” Regarding Ko Jin-young, he said, “He is a player with a clear goal” and “is strong-willed.”
Alim Kim suffered compared to her friends. After becoming a full member in 2013, she saw the seed fight for two consecutive years, but she was bitter. She said, “She cried a lot when she fell in the seed match,” she confessed. Kim A-rim won 4 wins on the Dream Tour in 2015 and won a regular tour card with 2nd place in the prize money ranking (76.06 million won). He entered the first division tour in 2016, and tasted the joy of his first win at the 2018 Pak Se-ri Invitational. He accumulated three domestic victories at the 2019 MY Munyeong Queens Park Championship and last year’s KLPGA Championship.
Kim A-lim’s main weapon is an exciting long hit. On the KLPGA tour, she was ranked as the “long hit queen” for three consecutive years from 2018 to 2020. Even on the LPGA Tour, it is 276.76 yards (5th) in 2021, 274.74 yards (5th) last year, and 273.77 yards (7th) this year. Kim A-rim emphasized, “It is important to take care of your body in order to hit a long hit,” and “you have to make good use of your strengths.” Alim Kim has long arms and legs. He has a big arc and good twist. He said, “I practiced hitting hard since I was young,” and expressed confidence, saying, “There is nothing to be afraid of when I hit a driver shot.”
There is a tournament in which Kim A-lim planted strong ginseng in golf fans. It is the 2018 Doosan Match Play Championship. In the final against ‘Emperor of Golf’ Park In-bi, she finished runner-up after a fierce battle. At the time, it became a hot topic by generously giving consent. Kim A-rim smiled, saying, “I thought the fur putt didn’t last long, so I gave it a conceit. Later, it was close to 2m.”
Kim A-rim remembers the confrontation with Park In-bi. When Inbi Park was playing her tee shot, she was surprised to hear cheers from the gallery. Kim A-rim recalled, “The level was different,” and “I felt a little pressured, so I played more fighting.” “I have grown since the Doosan Match Play Championship,” he said. Kim A-lim signed a contract with Park In-bi’s management company in 2019 and became a member of the family.
Kim A-lim’s role model is Annika Sorenstam (Sweden). Annika racked up 72 career victories, including a whopping 11 on the 2002 LPGA Tour. She is the ‘original golf empress’ who has kept the world number one for 60 consecutive weeks. A-rim Kim said, “The person I admire the most is Sorenstam. I like her so much,” and she expressed her respect, saying, “In my eyes, she is a true golf queen. “Seeing Sorenstam made her want to play for a long time on tour,” he said. “It is her dream to follow Sorenstam’s path.”
Alim Kim is a hard worker. She hires a personal trainer and does a variety of exercises to improve her performance. She is particularly dedicated to building her stamina. She is strength training all week. She is also learning English and studying her body. She continues to work on the technical part as well. A-rim Kim said, “She’s only thinking about golf, except when she’s sleeping and eating.” She is also equipped with a mature mind. “She never played with the goal of winning,” he added.스포츠토토
She decided and prepared for the Chevron Championship. Shortly before the tournament, she skipped the Lotte Championships held in Hawaii and started training early in the battle field. After the 2020 US Women’s Open, she hoped to win her second career LPGA Tour victory. In the final 4th round, she cut 2 strokes in the first half, and she tied for the lead. Her final grade is a tie for fourth place.
Alim Kim is looking forward to next year’s Chevron Championship. This is because he is equipped with the confidence that he can make better plays. He said, “The battlefield is long, and the greens are hard and fast. It is an advantageous course for me because I can control the trajectory with long hits.” I am looking forward to the competition,” he said.