For five years, Sei Young Kim has been searching for the missing piece that would propel her back into the LPGA Tour winner’s circle. Through the first two days of the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, the major champion has leaned on a piece of advice from her longtime caddie, Paul Fusco, who told the 12-time winner to “play like Scheffler.”

“He's very steady,” Kim said about Scottie Scheffler’s game. “And a couple of days ago, after he's told me that, I was watching the British Open last week, so it's very help.”

Kim is off to her own steady start at Dundonald Links, where she opened with rounds of 68 and 67 to climb into contention heading into the weekend in Scotland. Like Scheffler’s nearly flawless performance at The Open Championship, Kim has given up just a single bogey in her opening 36 holes at the Women’s Scottish Open.

Kim dazzled through each of the first days with two eagles, the first of which came on Thursday when she holed out on the par-4 17th hole from 75 yards. Then, on Friday, Kim chipped in from off the green on the par-5 18th hole to vault to the top of the leaderboard.

Kim began her second round on the back nine, and after making the turn at 18 and picking up a birdie on No.1, she gave up her first shot of the tournament with a bogey on the par-5 3rd hole to fall out of a tie for the lead with Nanna Koerstz Madsen. But the major champion still came away with a solid 5-under 67 to remain in the mix heading into the weekend.

The Republic of Korea native’s performance is all the more impressive given the challenging yet expected conditions that Mother Nature tends to serve up during the Tour’s annual trip to Scotland. Blustery winds, a light rain and cool temperatures made for a difficult test for Kim, who went out in the morning wave on Friday.

“It's pretty good because we tee off early morning. It's windy and a little bit of rain and then cold weather. With the front nine, I shoot 4-under. It's pretty good score with the weather,” Kim said about the tough conditions she faced on Friday. “And back nine is still under par. Very happy with that score.”

Links golf is certainly an acquired taste for many athletes who didn’t grow up playing that style of course, and Kim is no exception. Through her 14 combined appearances at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open and AIG Women’s Open, she has just a couple of top-10 finishes, but Kim says that now, in her 16th year on the LPGA Tour, she’s beginning to warm up to the challenge.

“When I play the first couple years, I was really struggle with links course. I don't know how to play because around the green is very firmer than the normal golf course,” Kim said about learning how to navigate the unique layout. “I have to learn how to play here. So, just spend time a lot and now I feel like a little bit know about it.”

While Kim hasn’t often contended when competing in the United Kingdom, she’s come close throughout this season to capturing her long-awaited 13th career win.

She has three top 10s thus far in 2025 but has also struggled with four missed cuts, one of which came in her last start at The Amundi Evian Championship. If the 32-year-old wants to get back in the winner’s circle, Kim will need to lean on her past experiences and what she’s learned from previously competing on links-style golf courses.

She will also need to keep listening to the wise words of her caddie and play like Scottie Scheffler.

Sei Young Kim Trying to ‘Play like Scheffler’ in Scotland

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