Duke junior Bryan Kim has developed into one of the most efficient scorers in collegiate golf through technical discipline, measured scheduling, and consistent production in major events. The Brookeville Maryland native owns a Duke record fifty four hole total of 197, advanced to the NCAA Championships as an individual, and continues to post low scoring averages while competing against elite fields. Kim is ranked number two in Clippd and number thirty two in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and remains central to Duke’s push toward national contention.
Career Highlights
● U S Junior Amateur champion in 2023
● Ranked number two in Clippd and number thirty two in WAGR
● All ACC selection in 2024 to 2025
● PING East All Region
● All America Scholar, All ACC Academic and CSC Academic All District
● All ACC Academic as a freshman
● ACC Golfer of the Month for October and finalist for Ben Hogan Award Golfer of the Month
● Advanced to the NCAA Championships as low individual from a non advancing team at the NCAA Reno Regional
● Tied Duke program record with a fifty four hole total of 197 at the Bryan Bros Collegiate
Collegiate Results Snapshot
2025 to 2026 Junior Season
● Tied Duke men’s golf record with a fifty four hole 197 at the Bryan Bros Collegiate with rounds of 66, 66 and a career low 65
● Led Duke to the Rod Myers Invitational team title with a seven under 209 and finished second individually
● Named Duke Student Athlete of the Month for September with a 69.22 scoring average and seven under par rounds
● Won the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate at eleven under 205 for his second fall title
2024 to 2025 Sophomore Season
● All ACC selection and PING East All Region
● All America Scholar, All ACC Academic and CSC Academic All District
● Competed in thirteen tournaments and started all twelve team events
● Advanced to the NCAA Championships as low individual from the NCAA Reno Regional
● Tied for third at regionals with a five under 67 in the final round to finish six under 210
● Led Duke in scoring average at 71.44, score to par at plus two and average versus par at plus zero point one
● Recorded fifteen under par rounds, twenty two rounds of par or better and nine rounds in the sixties
● Totaled one hundred twenty six birdies and three eagles across the season
2023 to 2024 Freshman Season
● Debuted at the Sahalee Players Championship and finished tied for thirty fourth
● Logged ten under par rounds in his next fifteen rounds with a fifth place finish at the Rod Myers Invitational
● Started all twelve events for Duke
● Posted a 72.70 scoring average across thirty three rounds
● Recorded twenty six rounds of 75 or lower, eleven under par rounds and four rounds in the sixties
● Earned All ACC Academic recognition
Junior Golf and Amateur Resume
● Ranked number three junior golfer by Golfweek and AJGA
● U S Junior Amateur champion in 2023
● Maryland Junior Champion in 2019 and 2021
● State runner up in 2019 and 2023
● Rolex All American in 2021 and 2022
● Competed in the one hundred twenty fifth U S Men’s Amateur and finished tied for fifth in medal play
● Finalist for Ben Hogan Award Golfer of the Month
● Four year varsity swimmer at Sherwood High School
Interview Highlights with CGN
Path into golf and family influence
Kim entered golf through summer camps while his parents worked full time. His mother enrolled him at a local municipal camp going into middle school, where he picked up the game quickly and enjoyed the structure and challenge. He also played other sports in middle school but eventually chose golf as his primary focus.
He credits his older sister for taking the same camp a year earlier and for being his first regular playing partner. Although she later focused on academics instead of sports, he views her as a role model whose discipline and example shaped his approach. Kim also points to his parents’ consistent support for any activity he pursued, noting that they backed his decision to chase golf seriously once his talent became clear.
Training environment and junior development
A junior membership at Argo Country Club gave Kim an all day practice base. His mother dropped him at the course in the morning and picked him up at sunset, and a group of juniors formed a competitive and social practice environment. Regular play and informal matches accelerated his development and prepared him for regional and national tournaments.
By age thirteen he was competing in events and quickly moved into AJGA and state championships, winning the Maryland Junior title twice and contending in state high school events. Those performances, along with his U S Junior Amateur win, confirmed that he could aim for college and professional golf.
Recruiting process and choosing Duke
Kim wanted a school with strong academics and athletics. He was not highly ranked when recruiting began in his junior year, so his options were limited, but Duke showed early interest. Assistant coach Chris Green watched him in late fall, liked his game, and pushed for an offer.
Kim visited in January, met the team and staff, and felt comfortable with both the campus and the roster. The combination of academic standards, program history and team fit led him to choose Duke over his other visits.
Transition to college and freshman season
Kim entered Duke off a solid summer and carried that form through the fall of his freshman year. Academically, the adjustment was manageable, but he faced health challenges in the dorm environment, getting sick multiple times and losing some of the nutrition habits he had at home.
On the course his swing drifted as he adapted to winter conditions and dormant Bermuda turf, which encouraged a steeper strike. By the spring his contact and dispersion suffered, leading to struggles in competition and eventually to being subbed out during the ACC Championship and NCAA Regional.
Technical adjustments and coaching
Kim works closely with his instructor back home through regular video and FaceTime check ins. After his freshman spring they focused on tightening his takeaway, improving his position at the top, and creating a shallower move into the ball to reduce handle drag and eliminate a two way miss.
He emphasizes combining technical work with target practice, using specific swing thoughts that support the change while still connecting to the intended shot. Once a move feels repeatable on the range, he carries a single productive swing cue onto the course and lets the reps take over.
U S Open experience and reset
Thanks to his U S Junior Amateur win, Kim earned a start in the U S Open the summer after his freshman year. He played practice rounds with Adam Scott, Tommy Fleetwood and Denny McCarthy, using the week to observe preparation habits and course management at the highest level.
After the championship he took a month away from competitive golf to visit Korea, where his parents are from, and treated the trip as both a vacation and a mental reset. The break allowed him to step away from swing concerns, return fresh, and approach his sophomore season with clearer priorities.
Mental approach and handling adversity
Kim focuses on controlling what he can, especially his mindset and response to events. He accepts that weather, bounces and other players are outside his influence and instead centers his attention on the next shot.
He recalls making a triple bogey early in U S Amateur qualifying, thinking it might cost him a place in match play. His coach reminded him to reset by simply hitting a solid tee shot, approach and putt on the next hole. That sequence reinforced Kim’s commitment to staying present, reducing panic, and reframing setbacks as isolated moments rather than patterns.
NCAA stage and national competition
At the NCAA Reno Regional the conditions were extreme, with high winds, delays and even snow. Duke narrowly missed advancing as a team, but Kim closed with a five under 67 to finish six under and secure the lone individual spot at the NCAA Championships.
At La Costa he experienced the scale of the national stage, with television towers, roped fairways, shuttles and spectators across a large property. Competing without his teammates on site felt different, but the week served as motivation to return with the full squad in future seasons.
Managing schedule and avoiding burnout
Kim keeps his summer schedule measured, preferring a short break in June to recover from the long college season. He then targets a handful of events such as the Trans Miss, Western Amateur and U S Amateur, using practice blocks between tournaments to refine his swing rather than chasing a packed calendar.
He views time away from competition as essential to long term performance, allowing him to arrive at fall events rested, technically sharp and mentally engaged.
Goals and outlook
With a new coaching staff and a strong fall that included multiple wins and team contention, Kim and Duke enter the spring focused on incremental individual gains that translate into lower team scores. The group has already reviewed the fall with the coaches and identified specific improvements for each player.
Kim aims to build on his junior season by sustaining his scoring standard, returning to the NCAA Championships with the full Duke lineup, and continuing to contend in major amateur events while maintaining the balance that has supported his rise so far.