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Birdie Kim

 
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Birdie Kim
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Birdie Kim (born August 26, 1981) was the surprise winner of the 2005 US Women's Open, the most prestigious event in women's golf.

Her given name is Ju-Yun Kim, but she decided to use "Birdie" during the 2005 season to stand out from the other five players with Kim as a surname on the LPGA Tour.

In her two years on the LPGA Tour, the Korean native had previously finished in the top 10 only once. Her career earnings had been a meager $79,832, but this win, accomplished with a dramatic 30-yard shot from a sand trap across the 18th green, bagged her $560,000.

Last updated: December 15, 2008.

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Birdie Kim
Personal information
Full name Birdie Kim
Born August 26, 1981 (1981-08-26) (age 28)
Iksan, South Korea
Nationality  South Korea
Spouse Bae Gyu Lee (m.2007)
Career
Turned professional 2000
Current tour(s) LPGA Tour (joined 2001)
Former tour(s) Futures Tour (joined 2000)
Professional wins 1
Number of wins by tour
LPGA Tour 1
Best results in LPGA Major Championships
(Wins: 1)
Kraft Nabisco C'ship T45: 2006
LPGA Championship T25: 2007
U.S. Women's Open Won 2005
Women's British Open CUT: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009

Birdie Kim (Korean 김주연) (born Ju-Yun Kim in Ik-San on 26 August 1981) is a South Korean golfer. Her career highlight is winning the 2005 US Women's Open at Cherry Hills Country Club. In the last round, she was tied for the lead on the 18th hole. Her second shot found a green-side bunker. She holed out from the bunker to take the lead and ultimately won by two strokes.

Kim won the 1998-99 Korea Junior Championship. She turned professional in November 2000 and joined the Futures Tour, which is the second-tier women's golf tour in the United States, in 2001. Her rookie season on the main LPGA Tour was 2004, and was not successful as she only made three cuts in 20 events, but she retained her tour card by finishing tied 12th at the Qualifying School. She did somewhat better in early 2005, and picked up her first top ten finish that May, but her victory at the U.S. Women's Open was totally unexpected.

She changed her first name to Birdie in 2004, in an effort to distinguish herself from the numerous other Korean golfers named Kim in the women's golf world in the minds of non-Koreans.[citation needed] Six different Kims, including Birdie, currently play on the LPGA Tour.

Birdie Kim recently married fellow pro golfer Bae Gyu Lee in December 2007. In 2005, Birdie earned a total of 715,006 dollars and came in 13th for LPGA season money position.

Contents

Major Championships

Wins (1)

Year Championship Winning Score
2005 Women’s U.S. Open +3

Results in LPGA majors

Tournament 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Kraft Nabisco Championship DNP DNP T45 CUT CUT CUT
LPGA Championship CUT 41 T65 T25 CUT CUT
U.S. Women's Open DNP 1 CUT T16 CUT CUT
Women's British Open DNP CUT CUT CUT DNP CUT

DNP = did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
"T" = tied
Green background for a win. Yellow background for a top-10 finish.

External links


 
 
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Janet Anderson (golfer)
Jerilyn Britz

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