MANSFIELD – Chaeyeon Kim, better known as Joy, had a busy summer.
The Mansfield St. Peter’s junior and her family moved to Sunbury from Korea two years ago, and in her first season as a Spartan she became the program’s first state qualifier.
And after a 13th-place finish at Firestone Country Club last fall, she made it a point to do whatever it took to improve her game further.
That led to a summer back home.
“I did a lot of exercises for golf with my coach in Korea and I practiced a lot with the Trackman simulator,” Kim said. “It helped with my yardage and stuff like that.”
She was in Korea for almost three months, where her days were simple — golf, and catching up with friends.
“My understanding is that’s how a lot of their families work,” St. Peter’s coach Jason Crundwell said. “They stick with one sport and they work really hard at it.
“She golfs every day, that’s a commitment (most) kids don’t have. They split between basketball, soccer, golf, but to see her just focus every day on the one thing and still up the academics while still learning a second language (is remarkable).”
Kim came into St. Peter’s as a freshman last year, mostly due to the language barrier, but is now a junior and ready to tackle the state meet for the second time. The extra work she put in has her better prepared for a two-day stint at Heatherwoode Golf Club on Monday and Tuesday in the Division II state tournament.
“I just practiced a lot more than I did last year,” Kim said. “I got in some big tournaments because I knew I’d be (at state) this year.
“And I played in the SOPGA last spring and summer.”
Kim placed third at the Southern Ohio PGA Junior Tour Championship behind a sophomore at Otterbein University and a freshman at Findlay University. She won the Sharon Woods Jr. Open by 10 strokes and the two-day Hamilton Jr. Classic by 12 strokes, along with a pair of runner-up finishes on the tour.
And this fall leading up to the postseason, she golfed with the St. Peter’s boys team, notably placing 18th at the Ontario City Tournament with an 84.
“I just wanted to practice and (get good competition) during the season, so that’s why I played with the boys,” Kim said.
Kim will tee off Monday at 10:40 a.m. from hole No. 1 alongside Anuja Patel of Olentangy Orange and Naomi Stahr of Logan Elm. Her Tuesday pairing and tee time will be determined after the first round.
“Her experience is second to none,” Crundwell said.
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