BC's Lauren Kim Overcomes Elements For 2nd Collegiate Win At U of Texas
By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf
AUSTIN, Texas (March 24, 2025) - It was a one-under 71, which under normal circumstances would not get Lauren Kim overly excited. She can shoot that type of round in her sleep. But this one was different. It came in difficult conditions with the wind howling in the final round of her team’s home event at the University of Texas Golf Club.
That round — one bogey, two birdies and 15 pars — turned out to be the only sub-par round of the day at the Betsy Rawls Invitational and propelled the Surrey native to her second collegiate victory. “We were getting gusts of up to 35 miles per hour, so it wasn’t easy out there,” Kim said in an interview.
“I just kept it very simple. I didn’t think too much about my overall score. When the conditions are tough like that, pars are your friend and birdies are your lovers, as my coach would say. I was very happy with that round. Just to be near par that day would be a good score, but to shoot one-under and take the lead and end up winning the tournament was big.”
Getting that win at her home event made it extra special for Kim, who is now in her sophomore year at Texas. The Longhorns also won the team event. “I had my whole team there, it was a home event and all nine girls were there. To do it in front of them and celebrate all together, not just my win but the team win as well, was great," Kim said.
"We had members cheering for us, alumni, friends and family, so it was really cool. My parents couldn’t make it out this week, but I had other people who are just like family watching me and it was just really nice hearing cheers because usually when we are at tournaments there are a not a lot of spectators who are rooting for Texas. We’re a great school but not many people like us. So when we do have fans it is just so nice. So to do it here was really cool,” added Kim.
Kim finished the 54-hole event at one-over par, one shot better than Texas teammate Cindy Hsu and Kyra Van Kan of Tennessee. The victory earned her SEC golfer of the week honours.
“I haven’t had any of those individual accolades, so that was nice,” Kim said. At No. 22 in the world, Kim is Canada’s top-ranked amateur. When the new World Amateur Golf Rankings are released later this week, she could move inside the top 20.
Kim plays close to home again at this week’s Charles Schwab Women’s Collegiate at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth. The following week she heads to Georgia for her second Augusta National Women’s Amateur.