Kim Welch

Kim Welch is a cast member on the Golf Channel series "Big Break: Kaanapali." The shaded text below is the "official" "Big Break: Kaanapali" profile of this golfer provided by the Golf Channel.
• Kim Welch pictures

Residence: Sacramento, Calif.
Hometown: Sacramento, Calif.
Date of birth: March 4, 1983
College: Washington State University
Interests: Reading, puzzles, snowboarding, family
Family: Single

About Kim Welch:
A powerhouse in college, Welch won 11 tournaments and posted 29 Top 10 finishes while at Washington State University. She was All-American in 2003 and turned pro in 2005. In 2006, Welch made 8 of 15 cuts on the Futures Tour. In 2007, she made 15 of 19 cuts with a best finish of third, five Top 10 finishes, and was 21st on the money list. She has also competed in the Re/Max World Long Drive Championship. Welch opened the 2008 Futures Tour season by getting into a playoff in Week 1 before finishing tied for second.

The Golf Channel says:

Looks can be deceiving. Watch Kim Welch approach a tee box and the first thing you notice is a colorful scarf bundled in hair that accents a long athletic frame. Then, witness her bomb a drive. The fluid motion is long and graceful, complete with a Michelle Wie-like, wrap-around finish.

During the entire process, Welch exudes confidence. In reality, though, she is self-described quiet and shy.

"I'm probably the most anti-social girl on the Duramed Futures Tour," the 24-year-old freely admits. "Being on 'Big Break Ka’anapali' will be good for me. I'll get to know some of the girls I’ve been too shy to talk to."

Instead, she lets her game do the talking. A member of the Duramed Futures Tour, she finished 21st on the money list last season and made it to the finals of the LPGA Tour Qualifying tournament only to miss the cut.

Even with the disappointment, "Big Break Ka’anapali" is an opportunity she relishes.

"I've talked with a lot of girls who have been on the show, and they all say the pressure is unlike anything they've ever experienced," Welch said. "I'm looking forward to that part of it the most. I want to see how I handle it."

The youngest of five kids, Welch was introduced to golf as a 7-year-old when her dad laid down the golf rules of the Welch household. Each of the kids had to play the game until they were 12, at which time they could quit if they chose.

She hated it, but kept playing after passing the mandated age when her dad offered to get her lessons. In high school, she played on the golf team with the objective of earning a college scholarship.

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