Teenage sensation Kris Kim returning to THE CJ CUP and he’s now a Wentworth elite scholar

Matt Cooper 28 Apr 2025

Twelve months ago Kris Kim was a fresh faced 16-year-old.

No matter. When faced with a debut on the PGA Tour in THE CJ CUP at TPC Craig Ranch in Texas, the English amateur star not only became the fifth youngest-ever player to make a PGA Tour cut, he also very nearly made an ace in the third round.

This week, as a 17-year-old veteran, he will return to the event looking to repeat the excitement and he will do so having become the Wentworth Club’s first-ever elite scholar.

It’s the latest thrilling episode for a teenager who first burst onto the international scene when winning three-and-a-half points from four matches in the 2023 Junior Ryder Cup.

He has the Wentworth Foundation to thank for the latest opportunity which will grant him access to the three celebrated courses at the club as well as all of the practice facilities including the newly opened state-of-the-art Wentworth Golf Academy.

“I was so happy when I found out about the scholarship,” said Kim. “The idea of practising and playing at Wentworth every day is so cool. I want to take my game to the next level and Wentworth is the place for me to achieve that. I’m very excited and very grateful to everyone at the club for making it happen.”

Stuart Boyle, the Club manager, explains that this year’s Club Captain, Brady Rafuse, wanted the Foundation to be his charity of choice and added: “We also wanted to introduce an elite level to the current programme, one that made the most of the three courses, the sensational practice facilities and our wonderful new Wentworth Golf Academy.

“I’ve travelled to most golf academies around the world and Wentworth’s is the best I’ve seen.

Huge potential

“We know Kris has huge potential. He’s a lovely lad and very mature for his age. He’s played on the PGA Tour, he knows what he’s doing. He ticks a lot of boxes.

“Wentworth can strengthen his game and we’d love to see a young golfer play in the BMW PGA Championship with the Wentworth Foundation logo on his bag. That would be a wonderful journey and we’d be proud to be a part of it.”

Wentworth also has a TaylorMade Performance Lab which will further enhance Kim’s experience because he was the first British amateur golfer to sign a NIL (name, image and likeness) contract with the brand.

Mark Thistleton, TaylorMade’s DP World Tour Director, says: “The Wentworth Foundation’s support and development of future talent such as Kris is a really positive step.

“As well as the facilities, he will be surrounded by a support network, including TaylorMade, that will offer him every opportunity to become a world class golfing athlete.”

Kim made the journey to THE CJ CUP last year while in the middle of his GCSE revision. So how did he do in the exams? “I did all right with my results except for Religious Studies,” he admitted. “I revised the entirely wrong subject for that one!”

He did learn lessons on the course, however.

“I used to play really defensively but I realized at THE CJ CUP that you need to go low,” he said. “It’s go low or go home.”