Major winner tearfully announces retirement no one saw coming

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Late Saturday evening, seven-time LPGA winner I.K. Kim received word that she’d be first off Sunday morning at the AIG Women’s Open, at 7:10. A chilly final round awaited in the wind and rain, not to mention another pre-dawn wakeup. But before she could tuck into bed, Kim, who is 36, had an important job to do. She had to alert her loved ones that this final round would be the final round. She was retiring. 

No one was ready for it. They tried talking her out of it. Kim herself, it appears, hadn’t arrived at the decision until recently. But then Sunday morning came, and Kim, who won this championship in 2017, teed off with no one in the bleachers, made a couple birdies, scurried over the Swilcan Bridge, signed for a 75 and, with tears in her eyes, explained it all to Martin Slumbers, outgoing CEO of the R&A. 

“He said, ‘You caught me by surprise,’” Kim said after her round Sunday. She had caught us all by surprise. There were no photographers there to document Kim waving on the Swilcan Bridge. No journalists to record her every step. And indeed there wasn’t much to capture, because she’d been too “shy” (her word) to give us a farewell moment on the bridge. She finished shortly before noon and had to come back to the course to tell the media about her decision. 

“Even Alastair [Scott] this morning,” Kim said of the first-tee starter, “he’s like, ‘Why? You have to come back.’ It’s so nice when you hear that from the people you love.”

Kim better get used to it. She was able to tell only a few coaches, her parents and best friend Saturday night. She smiled when she said she’ll have plenty of time to catch up with everyone else. 

Kim’s career has been winding to a close. She was in the field due to her win at the 2017 Women’s Open at Kingsbarns, her crowning achievement in a stellar career. And she could keep playing Women’s Opens for decades if she’d like. But she said she most wanted to play the Open at Muirfield, in 2022.

“I said to Martin Slumbers that I would not retire until I played at Muirfield,” she said. “I had always read about it from Jack Nicklaus’ book, and many great players have talked about Muirfield. I wanted to continue until I played Muirfield. And when I did I felt so satisfied. And at the same time, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life. So I just continued until the clue.”

The “clue,” Kim said, was everything adding up to golfy numbers. In her 18th year on the LPGA Tour, after picking up the game at age 9, she saw it all lining up, and kept her secret largely to herself.

“I talked to Yani [Tseng] after, and she cried for on and on, and I cried with her,” Kim said. “Just you never know when it’s going to end. Not just golf and relationship and things. We’re not here forever. I feel like golf is teaching me that a little bit sooner.”

St. Andrews, with all its meaning to the sport, is a popular spot for endings. The Home of Golf saw Tiger Woods address his retirement two years ago. (We’re not there yet.) It has felt like a natural place for Lydia Ko (a contender this week) to shut it down, too. (Asked about it, she said it’s not likely.) Jack Nicklaus played his final Open in St. Andrews in 2005 just as Tom Watson did in 2015. Catriona Matthew bid adieu to the Women’s Open just two days ago.

Those farewells often come with a lead-up of sorts. A warning. Time to prep. Kim’s will go down as one of the most abrupt. Without much prepared, the press corps asked the two most natural questions. 

What is next? 

“I have many interests luckily. I don’t know. I’ll have to ask people.”

What are you most proud of? 

“I’m most proud of the hard work that I’ve put into. I wasn’t most talented or most gifted but I loved the game. I was willing to travel anywhere to play golf and learn the game. And I wanted to thank all the girls here. I’ve learned so much from them. So it’s just, I think their relationship.”

Here, her voice began to quiver. She wiped away a couple of tears and said thank you one last time.