Updated: April, 2021

NA RI KIM

The Facts

Birthday: December 10, 1985
Rookie Year on LPGA: 2006
Birth Place: Unknown in South Korea
Best LPGA Finish: T-14th (2009 P & G Northwest Arkansas Championship)
Best LPGA Major Finish: T-31st (2009 McDonald's LPGA Championship)
Best Score: 66 (2008)
Best Scoring Average for a year: 72.50 (2009)
Best Season money total: $57,864 (2009)
Best Season Money Position: 111th (2009)
Most Top Tens/Season: 0
Height: 5' 6"
2021 LPGA Status: Retired
Nicknames: None known
Sponsors: Mediheal
How's her English?: Unknown
Hobbies: Movies, Dancing
Road to the LPGA: Finished 9th at 2005 Q-School to earn exempt card on LPGA.

Capsule Bio

Na Ri Kim is an up and comer on the KLPGA. Only 18 through most of 2003, she managed to notch several top tens. Meanwhile, she played on the developmental tour for the KLPGA, the Dream Tour, and was the top money earner for the year. She was rewarded at the end of the year with a sponsorship by Hite beer, and seems on the fast track.

In 2005, she had a decent year on the KLPGA tour, and so decided to try out for the LPGA. She attended the LPGA Qualifying School and had the best result of any of the Koreans in the field, a tie for 9th. Thus, she earned her exempt card for 2006.

Galleries
2006-7 Photos
2005 and Before
Seoul Sisters Pix

In 2006, Na Ri started her rookie season slowly, struggling to make cuts. But starting with an 88 she shot in May, almost all her rounds of golf were in the 80s, due to shoulder problems. She did not play at all after a pair of 86s at the Corning Classic in May. In 2007, she seemed healthier, but still missed most of the cuts in the tournaments she played. Nonetheless, she played well enough to maintain non-exempt status on tour.

In 2008, she was not able to maintain even conditional status on tour, and returned to Q-School again. There she finished tied for 21st, just out of the running for exempt cards. But she earned a strong non-exempt status for the 2009 season.

Na Ri had her best season yet in 2009, achieving her best scoring average, money total, tournament finish (T-14th) and Major finish (T-31st). Her 111th on the money list moved her status up slightly for 2010.

Nonetheless, Na Ri decided to focus on the JLPGA tour in 2010. It was a good move; she had a very solid year on that tour. After a shaky start, she became stronger in the second half of the year, collecting a win, 6 top tens and 11th on the tour money list.

Na Ri finished 23rd on the JLPGA money list in 2011, but didn't have a win during the year. She didn't win in 2012, either, but did earn 31 million yen thanks to 6 top tens. She wound up 28th on that year's money list.

Na Ri returned to the winner's circle in 2013 with a victory at the JLPGA's Studio Alice Ladies tournament in April. She finished 26th on the money list that season with nearly 40 million yen earned.

Na Ri finished 36th on the Japanese money list in 2014, earning 28 million yen for the year. She had 7 top tens on the season, her best finish being a fifth place. In 2015, she finished 60th on the money list, with her only top ten finish being a tie for second. But that was in contrast to 11 missed cuts.

Kim struggled even more in 2016. Her best finish was a tie for 11th, while she missed 10 cuts. She made just a little more than 5 million yen, and finished 84th on the tour money list. She did play a smattering of events on the KLPGA that year, but only managed one top 20 (a 12th place finish).

Kim lost her JLPGA card and has not played on the Japanese or Korean tours since 2017. It's likely that she has retired.

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