Meet First-Time Major Champ Kim Sei-Young, Inspired by BTS and Tiger Woods' Legacy

Some people find motivation in their faith without any encouragement from their followers. Others rely on personal strategies, such as generating their own emotions, to perform well on the big stage.

Kim Sei-Young, who found herself alone on an abandoned golf course at Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia, discovered motivation in a rhythmic source.

The catchy "Dynamite" from her fellow Koreans and global superstar boyband BTS provided Kim with the inspirational tune that helped her dominate the PGA Championship and secure her first major career win with a five-stroke lead. Triumph.

For someone who had achieved significant results on the LPGA Tour without a major victory, focusing on mental strength and using music to influence emotions was crucial for Kim to finally break through and win a major in women's golf. The game is important.

"I believe motivation is crucial for athletes," Kim said to CNN Sports. "Without motivation, a player lacks the will and ideas to keep going. That's why I consider motivation vital."

"Normally, I listen to a lot of emotional music and watch funny videos, but during games, I listen to and watch things that inspire me.

"I've regretted my mindset in the past, so this time, I watched videos of world leaders where they demonstrate how they control their thoughts and manage certain situations, and I was able to put myself in stressful and competitive situations."

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Consistent Success

Since joining the LPGA Tour in 2013, Kim Sei-Young has quickly established herself as one of the tour's most successful players. Her victory at the 2020 Women's PGA Championship was her 53rd top-10 finish and the 11th of her career.

Following her Major victory, Kim won the LPGA event at the Pelican Women's Championship, securing her 12th career title.

Before her triumph at the PGA, the 27-year-old had already established herself as one of the most successful women's golfers, but her reputation as a player without major victories had been relentless.

"Yes, I know," Kim admitted. "[Other] wins are valuable, but I'm hungry for a Major, because I don't have one. The victory at KPMG feels significant. It's like I've finally solved an incomplete puzzle."

In fact, the Women's PGA Championship of 2015, where Kim nearly won her first Major with Park in the final group, shared many similarities with her victory in Philadelphia.

In 2015, Kim finished just five strokes behind Park, who would eventually go on to win five major championships. This year, King finished five strokes ahead of Park, who was in the same final group.

Five years later and with countless hours of experience on the course, Kim defeated the "legendary" Park.

"Back then, I was a rookie, and Inbee was about as old as I am," Kim reminisced. "I was full of excitement for the challenge and the victory, but this time, I believe my skills and abilities were the reason I won, not the excitement."

"I'm in a different position now. I have six years of LPGA experience, so I can have a plan now, instead of just jumping in like I used to.

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'Take It Easy'

Earlier, Kim may have pushed too hard and been too strict at Majors, but at the Women's PGA Championship this year, relaxation was the key to her success.

"The difference in my approach lies in the fact that previously, I was pushing too hard at other major tournaments because they were played at a high level, but this time, I opted for the easy route, although it was challenging. It was just easy." I just went for it. I actually did.

"I asked my caddy for no further information that I could have asked for, and I just played knowing the distance to the pin.

"I practiced with the course beforehand, but from my caddie, I only received the distance to the pin, and the specific tactics, such as 'So far away from you,' green, so many ball meters to the halfway point and to the pin,' were not mentioned. This time, he only said, 'Distance to the pin,' and I simply played the ball, and the other information was irrelevant."

This familiarity worked wonders for Kim, who posted a record-breaking 63 in the final round and started the last day two shots behind former Major champions Anna Nordqvist and Brooke Henderson.

Kim had seven birdies in the last nine holes and set a turn record of 266 points, breaking the previous record by one.

To highlight the achievements of 15th Major champion Tiger Woods, Kim also adopted the tradition of wearing red during the final round, in the style of the last round for the main events.

After playing well in red pants, Kim noted: "Tiger Woods wears a red shirt, so I wanted to mimic him, but red pants work better than a red shirt! To me, it's become my trademark."

"The red pants are a good sign for me. When I wear them, I play well, and it works for me. Now they call it my trademark. It feels like I've become a character!

"When I wear red pants, I win frequently and so my self-confidence grows. Isn't that surprising?"

Inner Strength and Support

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Kim's success at the 2020 Women's PGA Championship can be attributed to her inner strength and the support of her fellow Koreans, especially the global sensation BTS.

After her win, Kim fondly remembered the support of her fellow Koreans and the motivational music of BTS, which she had described as "Dynamite."

"I believe that the music from BTS was my most memorable golf experience, and they were a powerful force in my career," Kim said years later.

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Enrichment Insights

Kim Sei-Young's victory at the 2020 Women's PGA Championship was not attributed to any connection with BTS or their music in the sources. The sources only discuss Kim's golf achievements and her use of personal strategies, such as generating her own emotions, to perform well on the big stage. No mention is made of using music to aid in her golf victories or any connection to BTS or any other artist.