Guided by her father, Cherokee Kim had one goal in mind: to play golf at the college level.

“My dad supported me financially, emotionally and in all aspects,” Kim said.

As well as thriving off the help her father provided on her path to golfing success, Kim said she drew inspiration from watching her idol, professional golfer Stacy Lewis.

Kim said following Lewis taught her to leave everything on the course, and as she progressed, she did not have difficulty competing at the top in her sport.

As a freshman in high school, she finished first at the Nisqually League Championships and second at the 2A Girls Golf State Championships. By her senior year, she took first in the 2A Championships.

Kim recently qualified for the U.S. Girls Championship tournament at a national level for U-18.  

When she’s not racking up golfing titles, Kim looks for chances to act as a normal student. She said she doesn’t get a lot of family time, but enjoys what she does as a golfer and knows that the sacrifices are necessary for her success as an athlete.

 “I really enjoy just having family time, going to the beach and hanging out with friends and be normal,” she said.

Even though Stacy Lewis inspired Kim to pursue professional golfing, she said it was her cousin who introduced her to the game. Now, they are both collegiate athletes playing the sport they love – Kim as a Cougar and her cousin as a UCLA Bruin.  

Although still getting used to how the ball rolls down the Palouse Ridge Golf Club fairway, she hasn’t had much trouble acclimating to life as a student-athlete.

“It has been a great transition because I felt welcomed and I knew some of the girls from the team already,” she said.  

For Kim, being a member of the women’s golf team is about progression and sharpening her skills, along with winning a few accolades along the way.

“I want to get closer to the team and grow more as a golfer,” she said. “I want to qualify to nationals and make the team better. I know I want to work hard to eventually try and be a professional golfer.”