Players Championship 2017 Winner Si Woo Kim: His Pro-Golfer Inspiration & Future In South Korean Military

by E. K. Encina / May 16, 2017 11:13 AM EDT
THE PLAYERS Championship - Final Round

Players Championship 2017 winner Si Woo Kim certainly has a bright future but he owes his recent win to another professional golfer who served as his inspiration. The win makes Kim the youngest professional golfer who won the tournament.

Those who witnessed Kim's domination on the course might be wondering where the young South Korean takes his inspiration from, or rather from who. According to PGATour, the Players Championship 2017 winner recalled a moment back when he was still a teenager.

This was the time when Kim saw fellow South Korean K.J. Choi win the Players Championship. At that time, Choi became the first Korean who won the highly-decorated Players Championship event and it became a moment that Kim won't forget.

"Since that moment, I really wanted to be a champion someday of The Players.", Kim added. As a matter of fact, the Players Championship 2017 winner actually received some helpful advice from Choi himself. Choi even taught Kim him about his experience as well as teaching him about the Players course.

However, Kim would eventually have to set aside his pro-golfer aspirations in order for him to fulfill his national duties. According to GolfWorld, the Players Championship 2017 winner has decided to undergo his country's mandatory military service.

In South Korea, it is required for all capable and non-disabled men from ages 18 up to 30, to go into service in the South Korean army. Although Kim hoped that his recent win would exempt him from such duties, he's still ready to go through it regardless. After all, the two-year South Korean military service is an obligation that does not exempt even celebrities or athletes from participating.

The Players Championship 2017 winner might still have some years left before feeling pressured to undergo his duties since he's still 21-years-old. Despite still having more than five years to prolong his obligations, Kim is determined to get it done immediately. "I've already decided I'm going to go too, so I'm ready for that.", Kim added. 

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