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Leina makes elite selection
Leina Kim, right, poses with women’s golf legend Rosie Jones during a recent tournament in Roswell, Georgia. (Contributed Photo)
According to the news posted in the Colorado State University-Pueblo’s athletics website last Monday, Kim, an incoming junior of the ThunderWolves, made it to the second team selection and is the first CSU-Pueblo golfer to earn the honor. Kim is also the first player from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference to enter the all-America teams.
Her selection to the prestigious group is Kim’s second recognition from the association, as she was picked for the WCGA All-West Region during her rookie season with CSU-Pueblo for the 2012-2013 competitions. In that same season, she won both the RMAC Rookie and Golfer of the Year awards.
The six-time Tournament of Champions winner went on to take her second RMAC Golfer of the Year plum this season after ruling three tournaments, having Top 10 finishes in eight of CSU’s nine competitions and six Top 5. She also qualified for the NCAA Division II Super Region 4 (West) Women’s Golf Tournament held in Mansfield, Texas in May and led the first round of the competition. She was the lone player in RMAC to earn a slot (as an individual) to the NCAAA regionals. Add the five RMAC Golfer of the Week citations to Kim’s long list of achievements in her sophomore year and without a doubt, she deserved the WGCA’s nod.
Kim, in a message to Saipan Tribune, said she is sharing her latest award to family members, teammates, and mentors.
“I’d like to thank my coaches for helping me out this season. They went the extra mile to make sure we all are keeping up with our game. I’d also love to thank my brother, mom, and sister for all their support. This award keeps my mind straight and helps me stay motivated for the upcoming season,” said Kim.
To prepare for the next season, Kim is joining various tournaments. She just finished competing in a three-round tournament in Roswell, Georgia and shot a 1-over par 73 in the opening round before logging an 8-over par 80 and 5-over par 7 in the last two rounds. According to Kim, the tournament featured legends Cindy Figg-Currier, Laura Davies, Rosie Jones, and Nancy Lopez.
