Doug Ghim Facts: 18 Things To Know About The PGA Tour Pro
Get to know PGA Tour pro Doug Ghim a little better with these facts


Mike Hall
Doug Ghim had a glittering amateur career before turning professional in 2018. Since then, he has steadily built a solid reputation, and has established himself on the PGA Tour.
Here are 18 things to know about the American.
1. Doug Ghim was born 16 April 1996 in Des Plaines, Illinois.
2. His parents, Jeff and Susan, were both born in South Korea and met in Chicago after moving to the USA at different times.
3. Ghim attended University of Texas, where he graduated with a degree in government.
4. His swing, which he honed during his early years in junior golf, is self-taught.
5. In 2017, Ghim lost to Doc Redman at the US Amateur at Riviera Country Club. However, the result meant that he earned an invitation to the 2018 Masters and US Open.
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6. At the Augusta National Major, he recorded multiple eagles and was the only amateur to make the cut, earning low amateur honours with a tie for 50th.
Doug Ghim was low amateur at the 2018 Masters
7. Ghim's hobbies include music and following sports, particularly basketball and baseball.
8. He played in the Arnold Palmer Cup in both 2016 and 2017.
9. At the 2017 Walker Cup, he had a 100% record with four wins from four playing alongside current PGA Tour players Collin Morikawa, Maverick McNealy, Cameron Champ, Scottie Scheffler and Will Zalatoris.
10. In 2018, Ghim won the Ben Hogan Award for the best male college golfer. That May, he became the World No.1 amateur.
11. The American is currently dating his girlfriend, Kelly Xac.
A post shared by Doug Ghim (@dougghim)
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12. Ghim earned his PGA Tour card in 2019, but he only made three cuts in his first 11 starts, including just one top-25 finish before the Covid pandemic put the PGA Tour on hold.
13. When golf returned, Ghim finished 184th in the FedEx Cup standings. Typically, that would have led to a return to the Korn Ferry Tour Finals but, with an adjusted eligibility policy, all 2019-20 members maintained Tour status for 2020-21.
14. One of Ghim's superstitions is to keep his golf ball in his left pocket and tees in his right pocket.
15. Ghim is sponsored by Nike and MGM Resorts. The American is also a brand ambassador for Titleist and uses a Titleist driver, Titleist irons and wedges, and a Scotty Cameron putter.
16. His earliest golf memory came at a Korn Ferry Tour event when he met Jason Day in Chicago when the Australian was 19. He later shared the story with Day at the Masters.
17. He currently resides in Las Vegas.
18. He used to have fellow PGA Tour pro Maverick McNealy as a roommate.
Doug Ghim Bio
Born | 16 April 1996 in Des Plaines, Illinois |
Height | 5'7" (1.75m) |
Former Tour | Korn Ferry Tour |
Current Tour | PGA Tour |
Highest OWGR | 90th |
Doug Ghim PGA Tour Earnings
Year | Earnings |
2019/20 | $187,442 |
2020/21 | $1,282,807 |
2021/22 | $1,347,458 |
2023 | $1,437,263 |
2024 | $2,435,308 |
HOW FAR DOES DOUG GHIM DRIVE THE BALL?
During the 2024 season, Ghim averaged 297.2 yards off the tee, which ranked him 129th in the PGA Tour's Driving Distance list.
Matt joined Golf Monthly in February 2021 covering weekend news, before also transitioning to equipment and testing. After freelancing for Golf Monthly and The PGA for 18 months, he was offered a full-time position at the company in October 2022 and continues to cover weekend news and social media, as well as help look after Golf Monthly’s many buyers’ guides and equipment reviews.
Taking up the game when he was just seven years of age, Matt made it into his county squad just a year later and continues to play the game at a high standard, with a handicap of around 2-4. To date, his best round came in 2016, where he shot a six-under-par 66 having been seven-under through nine holes. He currently plays at Witney Lakes in Oxfordshire and his favourite player is Rory McIlroy, despite nearly being struck by his second shot at the 17th during the 2015 BMW PGA Championship.
Matt’s current What’s In The Bag?
Driver: Honma TW747, 8.75°
Fairway Wood: TaylorMade Rocketballz Stage 2, 15°, 19°
Hybrid: Adams Super Hybrid, 22°
Irons: Mizuno MP54, 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 Tour Satin, 50°, 56°, 60°
Putter: Cleveland TFI 2135 Satin Cero
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
- Mike HallNews Writer
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