MALIBU, Calif. – Pepperdine women's golf and head coach Laurie Gibbs have announced the addition of standout junior golfer Irene Kim to the program's incoming recruiting class.

A champion on the AJGA circuit, Kim joins the Waves out of Columbia, Maryland, where she was a two-time Maryland State Junior Girls Champion. She will begin competing for Pepperdine in the Fall 2025 season.

"I chose Pepperdine because it offers more of a personalized intimate education and athletic experience, allowing for closer relationships with professors, coaches and teammates," Kim said. "The environment has a positive and supportive atmosphere that will guide me through my academic and athletic career. I loved the team chemistry between the players and coaches, and look forward to four successful years at Pepperdine."

In 2024, Kim claimed victory at the AJGA K.J. Choi Foundation Invitational while also competing in the LPGA Mizuho Americas Open. She was a member of the 2023 PING Junior Solheim Cup team and earned Second Team Rolex All-American honors that same year. Over the course of her junior career, Kim captured five AJGA tournament titles between 2021 and 2024. 

Kim placed third at the 2023 AJGA Rolex Girls Junior Championship and was selected to the 2022 AJGA Junior All-Star Team. She was a two-time Maryland State Junior Girls Champion in 2021 and 2022 and was named the Middle Atlantic PGA Player of the Year three times from 2017 to 2019. Her best World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) reached 548th.

"Irene has achieved tremendous competitive and academic success during high school," said Head Coach Laurie Gibbs. "She will be an excellent addition to our roster this Fall. Coach Kacey and I are excited to provide Irene every opportunity to continue improving her golf game, while earning a valuable degree from Pepperdine."

The Waves are coming off a campaign where they finished with a final national ranking of No. 41 and made their 26^th-straight NCAA regional appearance. Pepperdine will start the 2025-26 season at the Annika intercollegiate at Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo, Minn. September 8-10.
 
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