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Soo Yeon Kim brings positivity, skill, and inspiration to the UAE's Ultimate Golf Challenge
Korean golfer relishing playing alongside teammates as she debuts for team Meteora Magicians
- PUBLISHED: Tue 17 Feb 2026, 2:47 PM
Soo Yeon Kim embraced both the excitement and challenge as she made her debut in Season 3 of the Ultimate Golf Challenge (UGC) at the wind-swept Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in Abu Dhabi.
Representing team Meteora Magicians, she quickly made her mark, scoring 27 Stableford points individually and helping the ten-player squad post 247 points to sit second behind Noble Legace Masters (255 points) after the first round of the UAE’s trailblazing corporate golf league, featuring 10 teams, 160 players, and 350 rounds over four days.
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“I’m playing in the UGC team event for the first time,” Soo says. “At first, joining a competition where most of the field is male was a bit intimidating, but now I see it as a really fun and meaningful experience.”
For Soo, stepping onto the UGC stage isn’t just about competing. It’s about embracing every challenge, sharpening her skills, and drawing inspiration from both her teammates and her own performance. Each moment on the course is a chance to learn, improve and strengthen her love for the game.
“From a performance perspective, it’s a great source of motivation,” she says, of the UGC. “There are obvious differences in things like driving distance and aggressive shot-making, so it helps me see my own strengths and weaknesses more clearly – and that makes me want to practice even harder.”
But what makes the experience truly special for her is the team spirit, camaraderie, and the shared sense of purpose that comes with competing alongside teammates like Russel Yeomans, Praveen Sharma and Chris Cahill, to name a few.
Unlike individual tournaments, the UGC creates an environment where players celebrate each other’s successes, support one another through mistakes, and collaborate on strategy, giving Soo a deeper appreciation for the social and motivational aspects of the game.
“Because it’s a team event, there’s a strong sense of camaraderie,” she notes. “I love the atmosphere of genuinely cheering for each other’s shots and reassuring teammates when they make mistakes. Being part of that environment as a female golfer feels personally very rewarding.”
Soo also hopes her presence in the UGC encourages other women to participate, demonstrating that team golf is not only competitive but also rewarding, motivating, and full of opportunities to learn, connect, and excel.
“Above all, I hope that the way I carry myself on the course can give other women a little nudge to think, ‘Maybe I should try a team event too.’ If I can play even a small part in that, I’d be very happy,” she says with infectious enthusiasm.
With her upbeat attitude and steady play, Soo has already made a lasting impression in the UGC, showing that positivity, teamwork, and determination are just as important as driving distance or putting skill.
As a member of Meteora Magicians, Soo Yeon Kim’s debut marks the beginning of what promises to be a memorable journey in the UAE’s groundbreaking team golf league.