From papa, Paul, to the youngest Emma, golf has always been a family-time favourite for the Kim family.
“I like putting and hitting, like, different shots, and hitting chips,” said 8-year-old Emma.
Same goes for older sisters Sarah (11) and Rebecca (16).
“I am no longer the number one player in the household,” said Paul Kim, father of the impressive golfing sister trio.
Rebecca is the leader of the bunch who routinely shoots below par and already competes on the International stage. In fact, Paul often serves as her caddy. But come next week, all three Kim sisters will be teeing off at one of junior golf’s most prestigious tournaments, the IMG World Junior Championships in San Diego.
“It’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime thing for all three of us to be in the same year,” said Rebecca, a Glenlyon Norfolk Secondary student.
It’s considered extraordinarily rare for three siblings to qualify in the same year as each sister needed to win a regional event in order to earn the invite.
“In each of the age categories, there’s usually only, like, four or five Canadians,” said Paul, whose family are members of the Victoria Golf Club. “So, to be able to represent not just Victoria, but represent Canada in San Diego is a really cool opportunity for the whole family.”
It’s an opportunity to play against the best young golfers in the world, but Paul says winning isn’t everything.
“At the end of the day, you’re just proud that they have good manners and they learn all the other things in golf that are life skills, beyond just golfing.”
The trip marks their first family vacation in well over a year, as the smooth swinging Kim sisters will get to do what they love most, together.
“A very proud dad moment for sure,” said Paul.
The tournament runs July 12-16 in San Diego.
Kevin Charach
