Admittedly, this writer has only seen Kim play a handful of times in tournament conditions, but few players truly captivate at impact. Grace Kim sits near the top of the list.
Peel back the layers and you find a humble, bubbly and fiercely determined Australian with ambitions that stretch well beyond a single major title.
For Kim, it has always started at home. Family sits at the centre of everything, and her golf has long been tied to something greater than results. She has spoken openly about wanting to repay her parents for the sacrifices they made.
“My biggest role models and mentors … if I had to pick a golfer, it would be Karrie [Webb] for what she has given back and all that she’s accomplished,” Kim tells Golf Australia magazine.
“As for non-golfers, it would be my family; my parents, obviously, being able to sacrifice their time, whether during work or rest, to take me to the golf course to practise and
all that.
“Yeah, I’d definitely say my parents,” she adds with assurance.
The 25-year-old came through Strathfield and Avondale Golf Clubs in Sydney, working under the guidance of Khan Pullen. Even now, it’s clear the simple things keep her grounded – staying in touch with friends, switching off by spending time with her peers, shopping or simply “rotting” when she can.
Kim and her Dad brave the rain at Bonnie Doon. PHOTO: Australian Golf Media.
She has taken on ambassador roles and spends time mentoring younger players through clinics, giving back herself where possible. It all adds up to someone who knows exactly what she is chasing, without losing sight of where she has come from.
Growing up in Sydney’s western suburbs, Kim didn’t fall in love with the game instantly, unlike some of the sport’s prodigies. It was more of a slog, persevering through adversity before emerging on the other side.
She again credits her father for encouraging her to stick with the game during those early years, because what followed has been remarkable. “My golf actually started at Strathfield Golf Club. I kind of hacked it around. I hated it the first couple of years,” Kim explains.
“My dad saw something in me, so he thought, ‘Why not give it a go?’”
That belief culminated in victory at the Australian Junior Girls in 2017. The win sparked something, planting the idea that she could genuinely pursue the sport.
“I won the Australian Junior Girls in 2017, and I was like, ‘Oh, I guess I’m playing golf,’” she laughs.
A major champion in France. PHOTO: Getty Images.
“That got me a start into the Australian Open back when it was on the LPGA schedule.
“So, seeing the Korda sisters towering over me, the Jutanugarn sisters as well … just seeing the world-class field made me feel this is kind of what I want to do.
“I was very inspired by the lifestyle they had.”
Kim jokes she’d rather forget what she signed for that week [+10 and a missed cut], but the experience proved invaluable.
Nearly a year on, she is still buzzing from her Amundi Evian Championship victory. And why wouldn’t she be?
Not only was it a maiden major title, but it also came via a thrilling finish that epitomised her composure under immense pressure. And it wasn’t just the closing holes, though those have rightly been replayed countless times back home. The Sydneysider admits she still revisits the highlights herself.
“I still look at some of the videos when I feel like I need a bit of a confidence boost, but even early on, straight after the event, I was replaying it. I was the one making the views go up,” she laughs.
Always keen to give back. PHOTO: Australian Golf Media.
Speaking candidly with GA, Kim admits her confidence was high heading into that week, but what stood out most was her self-talk when things began to wobble at a crucial stage.
“I think the biggest moment for me … normally it’s not like me to speak confidently or arrogantly on the golf course. I kind of had to be cocky in that moment. When I doubled 12 on the last day, I was obviously quite disappointed with where my tee shot finished.
“It was plugged in the fairway bunker, made double, and I was like, ‘Oh, you’re kidding, right?’ I said to my caddie walking off that green, ‘I’m going to birdie the rest coming in,’ or something like that. It’s really out of character for me … I guess I just needed a bit of a boost. And then the way I finished is the way I finished,” Kim admits.
The way she finished was electric.
Kim produced a stunning late comeback to deliver back-to-back major wins for Australia, following Minjee Lee’s Women’s PGA Championship triumph.
Four shots back late, Kim birdied the 15th and 16th, then eagled the 18th to force a playoff with Jeeno Thitikul, who had seen a birdie putt for victory in regulation slide by.
Youth Olympic champion. PHOTO: Getty Images.
After finding water on the first extra hole, Kim chipped in for birdie to stay alive before sealing victory with another eagle on the next. Her triumph made her just the fifth Australian woman to win a major, joining Karrie Webb, Minjee Lee, Hannah Green and Jan Stephenson.
For those of us watching the action play out all the way from Australia, coffee in hand before sunrise, it was impossible not to be swept up in the closing moments. That is the beauty of sport: its ability to make you feel. And when those moments become history, they resonate even more deeply.
The win has not only placed her among Australia’s major champions, it has also afforded her the freedom to build a truly global schedule. With a five-year LPGA Tour exemption secured, job security is no longer a concern.
Bouncing between Sydney and Dallas also allows Kim to return home more often – something she is intent on continuing. “In terms of setting your career up for the next five years, it definitely eases your mind. But in terms of changing me as a person or as a golfer, not much has changed.
“I am a bit more stress-free now that I don’t have to worry about my card. I normally like to plan at the start of the year. Once we get our schedule, I’ll have a look, see which tournaments I enjoy and how I can build around those and the majors.
The miraculous chip in at the Evian. PHOTO: Getty Images.
“For example, this year I started in Asia. I didn’t play in Florida. After Asia, I came back home again, stayed in the same time zone. I have to think that through as well – what side of the globe I’m on.
“As my career goes on, if anything, I’m finding more ways to get home. I was tossing up whether to get a house here [Dallas], but in the end, most Aussies go home whenever they can. That’s the beauty of it, especially with a direct one-way flight from Dallas to Sydney.
“I have been lucky enough to be in a position now where I can pick and choose my schedule a little bit,” she adds.
Away from the course, Kim isn’t a big golf watcher – a trait common among younger professionals. Although the Masters was underway when GA spoke to her in Dallas, she admitted to keeping tabs via highlights on her phone whenever she could.
Downtime is simple. “Golf is so hectic; when we do get an off week, we literally just rot on the couch or in bed. Otherwise, you’ll find us in shopping centres,” she laughs.
“I’m on my phone a fair bit, but I try to follow positive pages so I’m not just doom scrolling. Just little reminders here and there.”
It goes without saying how demanding golf can be; confidence is everything. Kim admits self-belief has been a challenge at times, though her breakthrough in France has shifted her perspective.
“I think getting one done definitely boosts that confidence. At the start of that year, and even the year before, I struggled a bit with self-belief. Because I won early in Hawaii, my expectations changed quickly. Not being able to meet those expectations straight away was tough. I thought, ‘If I can do it that easily, surely I can do it again soon.’ But it just wasn’t happening. I had a few close calls – leading by a lot heading into weekends, then having birdie-free rounds.
“I struggled and lost a bit of motivation, especially early in ’25, which is crazy.
“One great week at the right time can change your life.
The maiden LPGA Tour win in Hawaii. PHOTO: Getty Images.
“I have never really worked consistently with a sports psychologist. I have had a few sessions here and there, but that just reflects how good my team is. My parents have always been supportive – great mentors in both life and golf. That’s the beauty of golf. You learn so much about life from one sport, but it’s a journey; it’s not always highs. There are a lot more lows.
“I had two weeks off before Evian last year, and even though I had a bit of a cold, my mentality that week was very strong.
“I came across a quote on Instagram. It was something like: ‘If you’re worrying, it means you’re doubting your preparation.’ So you trust the preparation, trust the work your team has put in, and back yourself. That worked out pretty well. I try to apply that every week. The outcome is always different, but you have to accept that.”
THE TOUGHER, THE BETTER
The U.S Women’s Open heads to Riviera Country Club this week, bringing the championship’s trademark brutality to one of the sport’s most recognisable West Coast venues.
Firm fairways, tight margins and a layout that offers little for free. It rewards control and punishes misses, with tree-lined corridors and demanding greens which will only become more exacting as the week progresses.
In U.S Women’s Open conditions, that edge is expected to sharpen further, turning one of the game’s most strategic layouts into a grind from Thursday, right through to final-round Sunday.
Kim arrives with limited, but recent exposure, having played the course once. “I played it through a contact I know last year. Yeah, pretty good course,” Kim tells GA.
The championship itself defines the challenge. The U.S Open is widely regarded as the toughest test in both the women’s and men’s games, where depth of field and course setup reward patience and resilience as much as shot-making.
“I think the U.S Open is one of the top tournaments we play. It’s the one everyone wants to win,” Kim adds.
“You get to play top courses around America, and the conditions are always pristine. It’s tough, and that’s what makes it even better. You see who pulls through by the end of the week, and it’s usually the toughest players.
“I’d say it’s probably the number-one tournament I want to win.
“I do like tougher setups. On easier courses, it can be anyone’s game, but in majors like the U.S Open, it’s not just about scoring – you have to get through it mentally, too.
“The players who have been there before tend to rise. The U.S Open is the U.S Open for a reason. It doesn’t have to be your A-game, but learning how to manage these courses is what gets you through,” Kim says.
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