Dad Takes Golf Lead After Daughter's Miracle Release

Chan Kim, 35, has taken a significant step toward regaining his PGA Tour card by leading after the first round of Q-School with a 6-under 64. This achievement follows an intensely emotional month where his newborn daughter, Jenna, was hospitalized for a life-threatening condition. Jenna, born three weeks premature, has hydrops, a condition involving fluid accumulation. Her health has seen significant improvement, allowing her to return home just as Kim intensified his focus on securing his tour status.

Kim's personal struggles have been immense, with doctors uncertain of his daughter's survival. Simultaneously, he competed in crucial fall events, missing his daughter's birth due to an emergency C-section and his wife's condition. Despite facing personal turmoil and a challenging golf season, Kim persevered, culminating in this strong performance at Q-School, where he needs to finish in the top five to earn his tour card for 2026.

Having navigated multiple Q-Schools throughout his career, Kim approaches this challenge with a winning mentality, focusing on winning each round rather than just the outcome. With three more rounds to play, Kim is motivated by both his golf aspirations and the immediate need to provide for his family, humorously noting the importance of earning "diaper money" while chasing his PGA Tour dream.