Getting to Know the PGA Tour's Doug Ghim

You know that feeling you get when you are cheering for the underdog to prevail in sports? That's exactly what I feel when watching golfers like Doug Ghim. For seven years, the 29-year-old from Illinois has been quietly putting in the work out on the PGA Tour. He has been building a reputation as one of those guys you can't help but root for. And after Thursday's 62 in the opening round of the John Deere Classic, Ghim finds himself somewhere he's never been before: leading a PGA Tour event.

From Illinois to Augusta National

Talk about a dream come true. Ghim's path to professional golf reads like something out of a sports movie. Growing up in Des Plaines and Arlington Heights, he was just another kid from the Chicago suburbs who fell in love with golf. After graduating from Buffalo Grove High School, he headed down to the University of Texas, where he really started getting noticed.

And what a run he had as an amateur. We're talking about a guy who won the Ben Hogan Award as college golf's top player and earned low amateur honors at the Masters Tournament — you know, just casual stuff. That Masters appearance came after a heartbreaking runner-up finish at the 2017 U.S. Amateur, but honestly, what a way to announce yourself to the golf world.

Ghim's amateur resume is stacked with victories at prestigious events and representing the U.S. at both the Palmer and Walker Cup matches. Then, of course, there was that week at Augusta National where he made multiple eagles and walked away with crystal goblets, the event reward for making an eagle. Those moments at Augusta? They were pure magic.

The Professional Reality

Professional golf is tough. Really, really tough. Ghim's amateur success had everyone expecting fireworks once he turned pro, but the reality has been a slow burn thus far. Don't get me wrong, however, his journey has not been unimpressive at all.

In 162 starts on tour, Ghim has been building something special. That runner-up finish at the 2024 Shriners Children's Open? That wasn't just a good week — that was validation that all those years of grinding were paying off. Sure, he's still chasing that first victory, but watching him get so close was genuinely exciting.

This season has thrown some curveballs his way, with Ghim entering the John Deere Classic ranked No. 124 in the FedEx Cup standings. His best result came at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, where he tied for 11th. It's been one of those seasons where the breaks haven't always gone his way, but that's what makes Thursday's performance so special.