Kansas senior Will King has built one of the most reliable resumes in program history through steady scoring, academic excellence, and a clear long term view of his career. The Olathe native arrived in Lawrence as a lifelong Kansas fan, played his way into every lineup as a freshman, won individual titles at the Gopher Invitational and Hawkeye Invitational, and added a Kansas Amateur win to reach the United States Amateur. He does all of it while majoring in Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology on a premed track.

Career Highlights

NCAA and Amateur

• Gopher Invitational individual champion at eight under 205 with rounds of 68, 66, and 71
  
• Hawkeye Invitational individual champion at nine under with rounds of 69, 67, and 71
  
• Tied for fourth at the NCAA Regional as a freshman at nine under with rounds of 68, 71, and 68 to advance to the NCAA Championships
  
• Kansas Amateur champion, becoming the twentieth Jayhawk to win the event and earning a spot in the United States Amateur
  
• Top Kansas finisher at the Big 12 Championship as a sophomore at four under and named to the Big 12 All Tournament Team
  

Academic and Program Impact

• Academic All Big 12 First Team
  
• Cobalt Golf All America Scholar
  
• Leads or shares the lead in team scoring in multiple seasons with high percentages of counting rounds
  
• Double digit rounds in the sixties across his career and a scoring average that has improved each year
  

Kansas Career Snapshot

2024 to 2025 Junior Season

• Eleven events played for Kansas and team leader in five
  
• Scoring average 71.55
  
• Fourteen rounds under par and eight rounds in the sixties
  
• Hawkeye Invitational champion at nine under with rounds of 69, 67, and 71
  
• Four top twenty finishes, including three top tens and three top fives
  
• Counted toward the team score in 93.1 percent of rounds
  

2023 to 2024 Sophomore Season

• Thirteen events played
  
• First collegiate win at the Gopher Invitational at eight under 205 with rounds of 68, 66, and 71
  
• Tied for eighth at the Big 12 Championship at four under and earned Big 12 All Tournament honors
  
• Led Kansas with fourteen rounds under par and nine rounds in the sixties
  
• Six top twenty finishes, including three top tens
  
• Scoring average 72.24 and team scoring leader in five events
  
• Academic All Big 12 First Team and Cobalt Golf All America Scholar
  

2022 to 2023 Freshman Season

• Fourteen events played in debut season
  
• Collegiate debut at the Fighting Irish Classic, tied for seventeenth at two under
  
• Tied for fourth at the NCAA Regional with rounds of 68, 71, and 68 at nine under to qualify for the NCAA Championships
  
• One top five, one top ten, and three top twenty finishes
  
• Scoring average 72.82
  

Junior and High School

• All District selection in 2019, 2021, and 2022
  
• All State selection in 2021 and 2022
  
• All USA Today High School Golf nominee
  
• Individual District champion in 2021
  
• Individual Kansas 5A State champion in 2022
  
• Led Rockhurst to three District Championships in 2019, 2021, and 2022
  

Interview Highlights with CGN

Path into Golf and Multi-Sport Background
King’s introduction to golf began with range sessions alongside his dad at age five or six, often encouraged by snacks and soda. Through childhood he balanced soccer, basketball, and baseball, with golf becoming his primary sport during his junior year of high school. He credits that multi sport background with shaping his athleticism and competitive instincts, and notes that college coaches value experience in team sports.

Family and Coaching Influence
Early instruction came from coach Liam Sill at his home club, followed by long term work with coach Matt Murdoch, a former Kansas State player, who helped refine his swing and prepare him for college golf. King also points to his parents’ support, especially his mom who handled travel and practice logistics while encouraging a thoughtful practice routine. An older brother who played football fostered his competitive streak through constant games and contests growing up.

Why Kansas
As a lifelong Kansas fan, the chance to represent the Jayhawks felt natural once the offer arrived. Staying close to home, playing for a program he grew up following, and putting the Jayhawk logo on his golf ball made the decision straightforward. He describes the opportunity to play for Kansas as fulfilling a childhood dream rather than a difficult choice between schools.

Freshman Year Impact and a Key Setback
King played in nearly every event as a freshman, delivered a top twenty finish in his debut, and advanced through regionals to the NCAA Championships. He credits a welcoming team culture and supportive older teammates for helping him feel comfortable and compete immediately in qualifying and tournaments.
The low point came when he missed the lineup for the first spring event after entering the final qualifying round safely inside the top group. He admits he became complacent, treated the round with less urgency, and slipped out of the top five by a few shots. King used that disappointment as motivation, committing to approach every qualifier with full focus and using the memory of missing out to sharpen his preparation.

Handling Adversity During Rounds
When a bad break or uncommitted swing appears mid round, King focuses on slowing everything down. He uses breathing, pacing, and deliberate routines to avoid rushing and to return to the present shot instead of replaying past mistakes or thinking about the card. For him, the priority is controlling what he can control and allowing that mindset to pull him out of stretches where scores start to slip.

Balancing Premed Studies with College Golf
King majors in Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology on a premed track, a choice guided by his long standing interest in science and a family inclination toward academic rigor. Travel and tournament weeks make the schedule demanding, but he views academics as a productive outlet away from golf. That separation gives him perspective and gratitude when he is on the course, and he believes it has improved his practice motivation and enjoyment during tournaments.

Development on Bigger Stages
Playing in NCAA Championships and other high level events has sharpened King’s understanding of his own game. He sees major championships as the best form of practice because they expose weaknesses and clarify which areas need attention for him to compete at the highest level. Repeated appearances have also built comfort and a stronger sense that he belongs alongside the best players in college golf.

Junior Year Wins and Future Outlook
With the Gopher Invitational and Hawkeye Invitational titles and a Kansas Amateur victory already on his record, King has stacked proof that his approach works. Those wins, combined with his academic record and improving scoring averages, have him seriously considering professional golf after graduation. He plans to treat his senior season as another chance to contend for team and individual titles, with the expectation that he will likely pursue professional golf after next summer while keeping his long term academic foundation in place.

Sources
Kansas player profile
Full CGN interview