Mi Hyun Kim
Encyclopedia
Mi-Hyun Kim is a professional golf
er from South Korea
. She turned professional in 1996 and won 11 events on the LPGA of Korea Tour
(KLPGA) between 1996 and 1999. In 1999, she joined the LPGA Tour and was named was Rookie of the Year that year. She has won eight LPGA events with her best finish in a major championship second place at the 2001 Women's British Open
.
Kim has been given the nickname "Peanut" because she stands only 5 foot 1 inches. LPGA golfers also refer to her as "Kimmy." Kim was inspired to come to the United States by Se Ri Pak
. Her swing is characterized by an unusually long backswing that has become shorter in recent years.
. The tornado occurred during the SemGroup tournament.
Kim did not have any connection to Greensburg or any of its residents. Commenting on her donation, she said, "Honestly, I made a lot of money in the United States on the LPGA Tour. Most of time, I get the money here and donate to South Korea. But, I want to help people here, too. The win was a surprise for me and I think God gave it to me like a special present or he is using me like, 'okay, I give you this, but after that you give to help the people.'"
A year later on the eve on the 2008 SemGroup Championship, the president of the United Way of the Plains in Wichita, Kansas
appeared with Kim at the pre-tournament press conference to publicly thank her and announce that the publicity surrounding Kim's donation had spurred further donations totaling $1.2 million and that money is being used to build 25 homes for low- and moderate-income individuals displaced by the tornado.
LPGA Tour playoff record (3-3)
^ The Women's British Open replaced the du Maurier Classic as an LPGA major in 2001.
DNP = did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" tied
Green background for a win. Yellow background for a top-10 finish.
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er from South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. She turned professional in 1996 and won 11 events on the LPGA of Korea Tour
LPGA of Korea Tour
The LPGA of Korea Tour is a South Korean professional golf tour for women. LPGA stands for Ladies Professional Golf Association; it is the independent LPGA of Korea which runs this tour, not the American LPGA...
(KLPGA) between 1996 and 1999. In 1999, she joined the LPGA Tour and was named was Rookie of the Year that year. She has won eight LPGA events with her best finish in a major championship second place at the 2001 Women's British Open
Women's British Open
The Women's British Open is a leading event in women's professional golf and the only tournament which is classified as a major championship by both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour. Since 2007, it has been called the Ricoh Women's British Open, for sponsorship reasons...
.
Kim has been given the nickname "Peanut" because she stands only 5 foot 1 inches. LPGA golfers also refer to her as "Kimmy." Kim was inspired to come to the United States by Se Ri Pak
Se Ri Pak
Pak Se Ri is a South Korean professional golfer, playing on the LPGA Tour. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in November 2007.-Career overview:...
. Her swing is characterized by an unusually long backswing that has become shorter in recent years.
Charitable giving
In May 2007, Kim donated $100,000 of her $210,000 prize money from winning the SemGroup Championship to victims of a recent tornado that severely damaged the town of Greensburg, KansasGreensburg, Kansas
Greensburg is a city in and the county seat of Kiowa County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 777. Greensburg is also home to the world's largest hand-dug well....
. The tornado occurred during the SemGroup tournament.
Kim did not have any connection to Greensburg or any of its residents. Commenting on her donation, she said, "Honestly, I made a lot of money in the United States on the LPGA Tour. Most of time, I get the money here and donate to South Korea. But, I want to help people here, too. The win was a surprise for me and I think God gave it to me like a special present or he is using me like, 'okay, I give you this, but after that you give to help the people.'"
A year later on the eve on the 2008 SemGroup Championship, the president of the United Way of the Plains in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
appeared with Kim at the pre-tournament press conference to publicly thank her and announce that the publicity surrounding Kim's donation had spurred further donations totaling $1.2 million and that money is being used to build 25 homes for low- and moderate-income individuals displaced by the tornado.
LPGA Tour (8)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 Sep 1999 1999 LPGA Tour The 1999 LPGA Tour was the 50th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 15 to November 14. The season consisted of 38 official money events. Karrie Webb won the most tournaments, six. She also led the money list with earnings of $1,591,959.The season saw the... |
State Farm Rail Classic | 1 stroke |  Janice MoodieJanice Moodie Janice C. Moodie is a Scottish professional golfer who plays mainly on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour but is also a member of the Ladies European Tour.- Amateur career :... ,  Pearl SinnPearl Sinn Ji Young "Pearl" Sinn-Bonanni is a Korean-American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour. She played under he maiden name, Pearl Sinn until her marriage in 2002.... |
|
| 2 | 10 Oct 1999 1999 LPGA Tour The 1999 LPGA Tour was the 50th season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 15 to November 14. The season consisted of 38 official money events. Karrie Webb won the most tournaments, six. She also led the money list with earnings of $1,591,959.The season saw the... |
First Union Betsy King Classic | 1 stroke | Beth Daniel Beth Daniel Beth Daniel is an American professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1979 and won 33 LPGA Tour events, including one major championship, during her career. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.... ,  Helen DobsonHelen Dobson Helen Dobson is an English professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Dobson won the 1989 British Ladies Amateur.Dobson won once on the LPGA Tour in 1993.-LPGA Tour wins :1Defeated Mochrie with birdie on fifth extra hole.... ,   Jenny LidbackJenny Lidback Jenny Lidback is a professional golfer.Lidback was born in Lima, Peru to Swedish parents.Lidback attended Texas Christian University and Louisiana State University.... |
|
| 3 | 24 Sep 2000 2000 LPGA Tour The 2000 LPGA Tour was the 51st season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from January 13 to November 19. The season consisted of 36 official money events. Karrie Webb won the most tournaments, seven. She also led the money list with earnings of $1,876,853.The U.S... |
Safeway LPGA Golf Championship | Playoff |  Jeong JangJeong Jang Jeong Jang is a South Korean professional golfer who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour. She is also a member of the LPGA of Korea Tour.Jang was born in Daejeon, South Korea. She started playing golf at the age of thirteen. As a teenager she won the 1997 Korea Women's Open and the 1998 Korea... |
|
| 4 | 21 Jul 2002 2002 LPGA Tour The 2002 LPGA Tour was the 53rd season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from February 28 to November 24. The season consisted of 32 official money events. Annika Sörenstam won the most tournaments, 11. She also led the money list with earnings of $2,863,904.The season... |
Giant Eagle LPGA Classic Giant Eagle LPGA Classic The Giant Eagle LPGA Classic was an official golf tournament on the LPGA Tour held in the Youngstown, Ohio area.From its beginnings in 1990 until 1992, it was known as The Phar-Mor in Youngstown and was held at Squaw Creek Country Club in Vienna, Ohio. It became the Youngstown-Warren LPGA Classic... |
1 stroke | Kelly Robbins |
|
| 5 | 4 Aug 2002 2002 LPGA Tour The 2002 LPGA Tour was the 53rd season since the LPGA Tour officially began in 1950. The season ran from February 28 to November 24. The season consisted of 32 official money events. Annika Sörenstam won the most tournaments, 11. She also led the money list with earnings of $2,863,904.The season... |
Wendy's Championship for Children Wendy's Championship for Children The Wendy's Championship for Children was an annual golf tournament for professional female golfers on the LPGA Tour from 1999 through 2006 in the Columbus, Ohio area. The tournament was played at the New Albany Country Club in New Albany, Ohio from 1999 to 2001... |
1 stroke | Hee-Won Han Hee-Won Han Hee-Won Han is a South Korean golfer. She attended Ryukoku University and turned professional in 1998. Han currently plays on the United States LPGA Tour. Her caddie is Jeffrey Snow.... |
|
| 6 | 30 Apr 2006 2006 LPGA Tour The 2006 LPGA Tour was a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from around the world which took place from February through December 2006. The tournaments were sanctioned by the United States based Ladies Professional Golf Association... |
Ginn Clubs & Resorts Open Ginn Clubs & Resorts Open The Ginn Open was a women's professional golf tournament on the LPGA Tour. It was played from 2006 to 2008 at Ginn Reunion Resort near Kissimmee, Florida.... |
2 strokes |  Lorena OchoaLorena Ochoa Lorena Ochoa Reyes is a Mexican professional golfer who played on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour from 2003 to 2010, and was the top-ranked female golfer in the world for over three years, from April 2007 to her retirement in May 2010... , Karrie WebbKarrie Webb Karrie Ann Webb AM is Australia's most successful female professional golfer, and one of the top players in the history of global women's golf. She currently plays mainly on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and also turns out once or twice a year on the ALPG Tour in her home country. She is a member of... |
|
| 7 | 16 Jul 2006 2006 LPGA Tour The 2006 LPGA Tour was a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from around the world which took place from February through December 2006. The tournaments were sanctioned by the United States based Ladies Professional Golf Association... |
Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, in full the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger, is an annual golf tournament for professional female golfers on the LPGA Tour... |
Playoff | Natalie Gulbis Natalie Gulbis Natalie Anne Gulbis is an American professional golfer of Latvian descent who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour.-Golf career:... |
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| 8 | 6 May 2007 2007 LPGA Tour The 2007 LPGA Tour was a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from around the world that took place from February through December 2007. The tournaments were sanctioned by the United States based Ladies Professional Golf Association... |
SemGroup Championship | Playoff | Juli Inkster Juli Inkster Juli Inkster is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. With a professional career spanning 27 years to date, Inkster's 31 wins rank her second in wins among all active players on the LPGA Tour; she has over $11 million in career earnings... |
LPGA Tour playoff record (3-3)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2000 | Safeway LPGA Golf Championship | Jeong Jang Jeong Jang Jeong Jang is a South Korean professional golfer who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour. She is also a member of the LPGA of Korea Tour.Jang was born in Daejeon, South Korea. She started playing golf at the age of thirteen. As a teenager she won the 1997 Korea Women's Open and the 1998 Korea... |
Won with par on second extra hole |
| 2 | 2000 | New Albany Golf Classic |  Lori Kane |
Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
| 3 | 2001 | The Office Depot Office Depot Championship The Office Depot Championship was an annual golf tournament for professional female golfers on the LPGA Tour. It took place every year from 1997 through 2005 at various sites in South Carolina and in the Los Angeles, California area .... |
Annika Sörenstam Annika Sörenstam Annika Sörenstam is a Swedish-American professional golfer whose achievements rank her as one of the most successful golfers in history. Before stepping away from competitive golf at the end of the 2008 season, she won 90 international tournaments as a professional, making her the female golfer... |
Lost to par on first extra hole |
| 4 | 2001 | Kathy Ireland Championship Kathy Ireland Championship The Kathy Ireland Championship was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1999 to 2001. It was played at Onion Creek Club in Austin, Texas. Kathy Ireland was the title sponsor of the 2001 edition and all three editions were held in honor of Harvey Penick, an Austin native and World Golf Hall of... |
Rosie Jones Rosie Jones Rosie Jones is an American professional golfer, with 13 LPGA Tour career victories and nearly $8.4 million in tournament earnings.-Amateur career:Jones was born in Santa Ana, California... |
Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
| 5 | 2006 | Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, in full the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger, is an annual golf tournament for professional female golfers on the LPGA Tour... |
Natalie Gulbis Natalie Gulbis Natalie Anne Gulbis is an American professional golfer of Latvian descent who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour.-Golf career:... |
Won with birdie on third extra hole |
| 6 | 2007 | SemGroup Championship | Juli Inkster Juli Inkster Juli Inkster is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. With a professional career spanning 27 years to date, Inkster's 31 wins rank her second in wins among all active players on the LPGA Tour; she has over $11 million in career earnings... |
Won with par on first extra hole |
KLPGA Tour (11)
- 1996-1997 (9) Nine wins on LPGA of Korea TourLPGA of Korea TourThe LPGA of Korea Tour is a South Korean professional golf tour for women. LPGA stands for Ladies Professional Golf Association; it is the independent LPGA of Korea which runs this tour, not the American LPGA...
- 1999 (2) Two wins on LPGA of Korea TourLPGA of Korea TourThe LPGA of Korea Tour is a South Korean professional golf tour for women. LPGA stands for Ladies Professional Golf Association; it is the independent LPGA of Korea which runs this tour, not the American LPGA...
Results in LPGA majors
| Tournament | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kraft Nabisco Championship Kraft Nabisco Championship The Kraft Nabisco Championship is one of the four major championships on the LPGA Tour. It was founded in 1972 by Dinah Shore and has been classified as a major since 1983... |
DNP | DNP | T47 |
| LPGA Championship LPGA Championship The LPGA Championship, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Wegmans LPGA Championship, is the second-longest running tournament in the history of the Ladies Professional Golf Association surpassed only by the U.S. Women's Open. It is one of four majors on the LPGA tour... |
DNP | T26 | T12 |
| U.S. Women's Open | CUT | DNP | T4 |
| du Maurier Classic | DNP | T6 | T33 |
| Tournament | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kraft Nabisco Championship Kraft Nabisco Championship The Kraft Nabisco Championship is one of the four major championships on the LPGA Tour. It was founded in 1972 by Dinah Shore and has been classified as a major since 1983... |
T15 | T21 | T57 | 7 | T5 | T42 | T30 | T6 | T48 |
| LPGA Championship LPGA Championship The LPGA Championship, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Wegmans LPGA Championship, is the second-longest running tournament in the history of the Ladies Professional Golf Association surpassed only by the U.S. Women's Open. It is one of four majors on the LPGA tour... |
8 | T33 | T30 | T30 | T7 | T3 | T15 | T10 | CUT |
| U.S. Women's Open | T26 | T22 | T30 | T16 | T31 | T41 | T8 | T6 | DNP |
| Women's British Open Women's British Open The Women's British Open is a leading event in women's professional golf and the only tournament which is classified as a major championship by both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour. Since 2007, it has been called the Ricoh Women's British Open, for sponsorship reasons... ^ |
2 | T61 | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | T24 | DNP |
| Tournament | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| Kraft Nabisco Championship Kraft Nabisco Championship The Kraft Nabisco Championship is one of the four major championships on the LPGA Tour. It was founded in 1972 by Dinah Shore and has been classified as a major since 1983... |
T56 | T33 |
| LPGA Championship LPGA Championship The LPGA Championship, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Wegmans LPGA Championship, is the second-longest running tournament in the history of the Ladies Professional Golf Association surpassed only by the U.S. Women's Open. It is one of four majors on the LPGA tour... |
T42 | T43 |
| U.S. Women's Open | DNP | CUT |
| Women's British Open Women's British Open The Women's British Open is a leading event in women's professional golf and the only tournament which is classified as a major championship by both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour. Since 2007, it has been called the Ricoh Women's British Open, for sponsorship reasons... |
T31 | CUT |
^ The Women's British Open replaced the du Maurier Classic as an LPGA major in 2001.
DNP = did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" tied
Green background for a win. Yellow background for a top-10 finish.