11-year-old Vernon Hills golfer competes, wins at Augusta
Even those who don't follow golf regularly know the esteem and tradition of the Masters tournament being played this week at the hallowed Augusta National Golf Club. Imagine being 11 years old and putting for victory on the 18th green.
That's where Vernon Hills resident Christian Kim was Sunday during the televised finals of the national Drive, Chip and Putt competition, conducted by the Masters Tournament, the PGA of America and the United States Golf Association.
"No, not even close," the fifth-grader at Townline Elementary School said when asked if it compared with any suburban putting experience. "Just really fast."
Contestants earned points in each category, with the winner getting 10 points, second place nine points and so on. Christian didn't win any of the individual categories but accumulated enough points to take the 10- to 11-year-old boys title. He edged a contestant from Ohio by one point by coming within 3 feet, 10 inches of the hole on his final putt.
"I closed my eyes and took deep breaths. I was actually nervous the whole time - my legs were shaking," Christian said. "Just me and the ball," he said of his strategy to stay calm.
He was one of eight junior golfers - four boys and four girls - who won their age brackets. The 80 finalists emerged from tens of thousands who competed in local and regional qualifiers. Stephanie Su of South Barrington and Eric Klutke of Crystal Lake, in the 12- to 13-year-old categories, and Emily Duan of Schaumburg, in the 10- to 11-year-old category, also were among the finalists.
All finalists and their families received a practice round ticket and were allowed to walk the course Monday.
While the experience created the memories of a lifetime for the suburban youths, only Christian won a trophy.
He told NBC's Michele Tafoya that although putting was not a strength, he had been practicing and improved a lot.
"It's been awesome. I'm really grateful for everything my family has done and to God for helping me win," he said during the televised interview.
Christian's dad, David, caught the golf bug a few years ago. One day, he took 4-year-old Christian to the driving range and gave him a little club to hit balls.
"I thought, 'Wow, that's not too bad,'" David Kim said. "It started that way, gradually. I wasn't one of those parents who said I wanted a superstar. We took it step by step."
On it went, to the point where Christian now hits irons as far as adults and he aspires to be a pro golfer. Christian entered and won his first tournament at age 8. He routinely shoots in the 70s, although he failed the past two years to make it past the first round of the drive, chip and putt competition.
For the past year or so, Christian has received instruction at the Chicago School of Golf in Deerfield from instructor/owner David Maslen, who accompanied him to Augusta.
"We worked hard on the short game," Maslen said. But there is more to the young golfer, he added. At just over 5 feet, 2 inches, Kim can drive the ball 250 yards - farther than many adults.
"Not many kids at any level can compete with his full swing. He's age 11 but swings a golf club like a college player," Maslen said. "It's pretty cool to see him hit the ball."