Ahead of the new season we profile some of the best players from Europe’s four satellite tours. Next up is teenager Minkyu Kim – a breakthrough star on the EuroPro Tour in 2017.
At the beginning of 2017 South Korea’s Kim was an unknown quantity, coming through the tour’s Qualifying School in April that year.
The 16 year old was one of three young Koreans who arrived in England last spring, and while his compatriots Yeong Bin Lee and Hee Min Chang, both 15, failed to make it through the qualifying event, Kim would go on to seal his card for the season.
After an assured start to his EuroPro Tour career, Kim finished tied seventh on debut at the PDC Golf Championship, the teenager went on to light up the tour with an exceptional mid-season burst in August.
Following consecutive career-best performances in the Nokia Masters (tied sixth) and the Motocaddy Masters (fifth), Kim became the youngest winner in EuroPro Tour history with a two-shot triumph in the Pentahotels Championship.
The following week Kim was back in the winners’ circle. After rounds of 68-63-73, Kim had played his way into a play-off against Ireland’s Niall Kearney for the FORE Business Championship title.
Showing maturity beyond his years, the young phenom held his nerve over two extra holes, parring the 18thtwice to lift his second trophy in as many weeks.
Following a runner-up finish in the final event of the season, the Sky Sports Tour Championship, Kim would end the campaign in second place in the Rankings and was also crowned EuroPro Tour Rookie of the Year.
Kim also impressed during last year’s European Tour Qualifying School, catching the eye with a final round of 62 to progress from Second Stage at Las Colinas.
Although he went on to miss the cut at Q-School Final Stage, the baby-faced Korean does not turn 17 until March and will have Dominic Foos’ record as the youngest ever Challenge Tour winner, 17 years and 347 days old, in his sights this season.
2017 EuroPro Tour graduates: Chris Lloyd (England), Minkyu Kim (South Korea), Adam Chapman (England), Nick Marsh (England), Jonathan Caldwell (Northern Ireland)
