She is known as one of the new faces of the LPGA, but she doesn't mind showing a little bit of her stomach as well.

Christina Kim is not your parent's pro golfer. She dresses bright and tight. In a sport known for tradition and decorum she is known for telling a naughty joke or two between shots or for playing games with acquaintances in the gallery.

“I've been told by a lot of people that I'm a breath of fresh air,” Kim said by telephone following a pro-am round at the Corona Morella Championship Wednesday in Morella, Michoacan, Mexico. “I'm different, and that's something the tour needs.”

But Kim, who will be in Nashville next week as part of the field for the Franklin American Mortgage Championship, warns that while she is comfortable with her clothes and her free-spirited approach to life, when she is on the tee, fairway, sand trap or green she is a true professional.

“I like to think I'm a professional in what I do,” Kim said. “I just focus on what I do and try to be me. Just because I behave a certain way doesn't mean I'm going to hit the ball goofy.”

Definitely not. Kim holds the USGA record for the lowest 19-hole score shot by a woman. At age 17 she fired an eight-under-par 62 in the U.S. Girls' Junior Championship. She is on the LPGA Tour's top 20 money list.

No one doubts the quality of her game, but the clothes and the personality are what most people notice. She is polite to a fault. She talks easily, even with strangers. And when she says she is looking forward to meeting you, it is said with genuine feeling.

“I like to think I attract a rowdier gallery than other golfers,” Kim said. “I have a distinct sense of style. I'm bold. I like attention. Mentally, I'm a loud and bright person so I dress accordingly.”

Kim, from San Jose, Calif., got into the game of golf at the age of 11 thanks to the influence of her father, who still is part of his daughter's team.

“There was not really much else to do growing up,” Kim said. “I'm not a wild and crazy kind of person.”

Golf changed her life long before she joined the LPGA Tour in 2003. It forced her to mature quickly, and learn that life isn't always on par with what you expect it to be.

“Very quickly I learned how to deal with a lot of things in life,” Kim said. “The game tells you a lot about yourself…a lot of intangible things. Golf taught me self-discipline, self-control and responsibility. It's about honor and honesty.”

Not surprisingly, Kim is excited about coming to Nashville next week. She is playing better than she has so far this season. She knows The Legends Club Course, and she is ready for the challenge.

“It's a beautiful track,” Kim said. “It doesn't look like an extremely difficult layout, but there are a lot of different things to look out for. It's a very strategic course. You have to play a complete game. You better have every shot in your bag.”