'Autumn Series' Launch Kim Seong-hyeon "Waiting for a Winning Opportunity"

First Tournament Fortinet Championship Debut
Rookie Ha FedEx Cup Ranking 83rd Strong Performance
Plans for 4 Tournaments Including Zozo Championship

Rookie Kim Seong-hyun promised a better next year than this year.

In an interview on the 13th (local time), a day before the opening of the Fortinet Championship (total prize money $8.4 million), the first event of the PGA Tour Fall Series, he said, "I expected to make the playoffs comfortably, but there were many disappointing moments toward the end of the season. However, being ranked 83rd in the FedEx Cup is not bad. Although I still have a lot to improve, I think I did well to achieve this much," reflecting on this season.

Rookie Kim Seong-hyun challenges for the championship at the Fortinet Championship, the first tournament of the fall series.

Kim Seong-hyun made his PGA Tour debut this season, participating in 32 tournaments and advancing to the final rounds 20 times. He entered the 'Top 10' once and the 'Top 25' eight times. His personal best was a tie for 4th place at the Shriners Children's Open last October. He finished 93rd in the money rankings with $1,531,178. He evaluated, "Since becoming a professional player, this was my first time experiencing so many rounds and tournaments. The United States is vast and the travel distances are long, so there were tough moments in between, but there were also many good moments. Looking back, I think it greatly helped my golf career."

Through competition with world-class players, he realized his shortcomings. Kim said, "I was impressed by how top-ranked players quickly adapt to different courses and situations every week," adding, "Mental strength is a big part, but I learned a lot by watching their shot-making to tackle unfamiliar situations."

Along with the regrets of this year, Kim Seong-hyun did not hide his expectations for next season. He said, "I didn't make the playoffs this year, but I believe I can next year. I am looking forward to 2024 even more," emphasizing, "Rather than being greedy for a win, I think if I consistently stay around the 'Top 10,' the opportunity to win will come. My goal is to steadily achieve good results in every tournament."

Kim plans to participate in four Fall Series events, starting with the Fortinet Championship held at Silverado Resort and Spa (Par 72, 7,123 yards) in Napa, California, USA, and continuing through the Zozo Championship (total prize money $8.5 million) held in Japan next month. Afterward, he will return to Korea to rest briefly. The Fall Series consists of seven official tournaments and three unofficial events running through December.

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