By Tony Webeck

Grace Kim knows that she won’t win every golf tournament that she plays.
The 2022 Women’s Australian Open was a stark reminder of that… but more on that later.
She tees it up expecting to win but with the understanding that won’t be the case every time.
Which, given the extent of her success to this point, is in itself a remarkable mindset for a 22-year-
old on the verge of her rookie season on the LPGA Tour.

Listing her wins as an amateur would turn this story into a three-part series but among her triumphs
are state amateur wins in New South Wales (twice), Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, an
Australian Amateur victory, Australian Girls Amateur win and a gold medal at the 2018 Youth
Olympics in Argentina.
Before turning professional she won twice on the Women’s All-Pro Tour in the US and last year, in
her fifth start, won on the secondary Epson Tour.
Winning is a habit few golfers develop but after completing her second round with a five-stroke lead,

Kim knows how to answer when opportunity knocks.
“You definitely go in expecting to win. Even if you weren’t hitting it great, even if you don’t have
your A game, you can still win,” Kim said following her second straight round of seven-under 64 at
Bonnie Doon Golf Club.“There are so many good golfers out there and they’ve obviously got the same mentality. If they have a good week, just congratulate and celebrate with them and hopefully next week’s your good week.”
For a young player accustomed to success, Kim has endured a handful of hard knocks along the way.

Two years ago, just weeks after playing the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, Kim called home in
tears.
From the highs of one of amateur golf’s most prized invitations, Kim was exposed to the harsh reality of life on tour, and it very nearly broke her.
“I played Augusta and I was on a high and then I went to this really bad area,” Kim recalled.
“No reception, no Ubers, I can’t get a rental car because I’m under age… I was literally crapping
myself.
“I had two (tournaments) back-to-back. One I had eight-over for three days and I was like, Nup, I’m
done. I’m not playing this. I called my team, Stacey Peters and my coach Khan (Pullen), and I was
literally in tears. ‘I can’t do this, I’m so lonely out here’... and then I won the next week.
“It just flips so quickly and when it does flip and you’re on a high, you’ve just got to keep going at it
and make sure you soak in the moment.”

Kim’s breakout moment seemed to have arrived last December at Victoria Golf Club.
The Avondale Golf Club product was tied for the lead playing the 72nd hole of the Women’s
Australian Open only to see her hopes dashed with an untimely double bogey.
It proved a bitter pill to swallow yet even before leaving the 18th green, she was reminded of the
fortunate position she now finds herself in.
“To me, losses are lessons. That’s my mentality,” said Kim.
“It was a bit of a disappointing finish. At the start of the week I was like, Crap, I could really not make the cut amongst all these major players and former No.1s. It was nerve-wracking and for me  to finish fourth, if I view it from afar you’ve just got to be grateful for the opportunity.
“I made my putt for double and I look up and people are cheering. You just can’t be angry at that.”
It’s a game – and a mentality – that will prove very hard to beat.