Preliminary Round 1st Place Kim Min-sol: "Expect Medals at the Asian Games"

Challenging for Double Gold at Next Month's Hangzhou Asian Games
Average 273-Yard Long Hitter, Verified in Pro Tournaments
Role Model Ko Jin-young, Fully Committed to AG Preparation Remaining Time

Kim Min-sol (2nd year at Suseong Bangtong High School).

She is a name that golf fans should remember. A promising talent who will lead Korean women's golf. As the ace of the national team, she signed a contract early with Doosan Construction. She will wear the Taegeuk mark and compete for the gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games opening on the 23rd of next month. In an interview with Asia Economy on the 14th, Kim Min-sol said, "I'm very excited because the Asian Games are just around the corner," and added, "I will train with a sense of responsibility during the remaining time." She continued, "Winning a medal at the Asian Games has been my goal since I was young," and expressed confidence, saying, "If I focus on the game and take it step by step, winning the gold medal is definitely possible."

Kim Min-sol is the national team ace who is a strong contender for the gold medal at next month's Hangzhou Asian Games. He expressed his determination, saying, "I will do my best to prepare for the Asian Games."

Kim Min-sol was born in 2006. She has been a standout player since her amateur days. She won the Jeju Governor's Cup Junior Golf Championship in 2019, and in 2022, she topped both the Blue One Cup Korean Junior Golf Championship and the Songam Cup Amateur Golf Championship. In March of this year, she represented Korea at the 4th Augusta National Women's Amateur, a world-renowned women's amateur golf tournament. Kim Min-sol recalled, "The time I played at Augusta is the most memorable," and said, "It was a tournament that nurtured my dream as a golfer."

Kim Min-sol is known for her powerful long drives, which come from her tall stature of 177 cm. Even during her amateur days, she participated in professional tournaments and showcased her skills without reservation. Last October, at the BMW Ladies Championship, a US LPGA Tour event held in Korea, she made a strong impression by shooting 8-under par on the first day. She finished tied for 10th place in the tournament. In June, she caused a 'storm' by finishing tied for 4th, the best amateur result, at the National Title Korean Women's Open. Kim Min-sol said, "Professional tournaments bring excitement and tension. I always feel like I learn something valuable after playing in pro events."

Kim Min-sol is famous for her powerful drives. At the Korean Women's Open, she recorded an average driving distance of 262 yards, with a maximum of 335 yards. This is not much different from Bang Shin-sil, the longest hitter on the KLPGA Tour, who averages 265 yards. Kim Min-sol laughed, saying, "I think I usually drive around 250 meters (273 yards). I didn't try to increase my distance intentionally, but after slightly changing my lower body movements, my distance naturally increased." She emphasized, "While hitting long drives is advantageous, I don't think long drives are the only answer. I will work hard to become a well-rounded player excelling in various aspects."

Recently, Kim Min-sol has been focusing on her short game and bunker shots, especially spending a lot of time on the greens. She smiled, saying, "These days, I am confident in my putting," and added, "I think it's because I invest a lot of time practicing putting." Due to her age, she can turn professional in June next year. She said, "I don't know exactly when I will turn pro, but if I can, I want to do it right away," and expressed her wish, "I want to be remembered as a player who grows steadily without limits."

National team ace Kim Min-sol is a long hitter who can drive an average of 273 yards with a driver.

Kim Min-sol is striving to emulate Ko Jin-young, who is ranked 2nd in the world. They share a special connection, having shared a room during winter training camp. Kim Min-sol recalled, "I asked her about the short game, and she told me that you have to think a lot around the green." She expressed respect, saying, "Every time I play a round, I think about what Jin-young unni would do in this situation," and added, "She is my role model."

After finishing the KLPGA Tour Doosan Construction We’ve Championship, a sponsored tournament, on the 13th, Kim Min-sol will enter Asian Games mode. She proudly earned the Taegeuk mark by finishing first in the national team selection. Kim Min-sol will undergo a three-day training camp at Daegu CC. Before the Asian Games, she will participate in four tournaments, including the Songam Cup Amateur Golf Championship. She said, "I will do my best to prepare for the Asian Games," and asked, "Please give me lots of interest and support so that I can achieve good results."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.