Home > Furman Bisher > Archives > 2008 > May > 09 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USIs Anthony Kim Tiger’s next challenger?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. — Well, Tiger Woods isn’t here, but Anthony Kim is. And the world may as well take a deep breath and get ready for him. All the moons are aligned in his favor. Mark O’Meara has trumpeted his arrival. (O’Meara, Tiger’s old pal and counselor.) Kim doesn’t have his own plane yet, but when the wheels lift into the well of his first jet, you might imagine that O’Meara would be among the passengers.
Historically, in situations like these, the wounded often make a swiftening recovery. Not Tiger, of course. We all know that the PGA Tour world is Tiger’s world. You also know the old fable, that when the cat is away, the mice will play. Of course, Tiger is safely ranked at No. 1, and Kim is more than an arm’s length away at No. 6. But when he won the Wachovia Championship that Woods wasn’t able to defend, the keening of a new threat was sounded across the land. While Tiger didn’t have his ear to the ground, there is no doubt that he must have picked up a ripple or two.
It played into the hands of eager journalists when Kim checked in with the early lead at The Players Championship on Friday, two 70s, 4-under par. Not exactly the player to beat, but with a 47-year-old (Kenny Perry) and a 50-year-old (Bernhard Langer) among those in pursuit, he had to like where he sat.
Kim comes from the land which has given us several Kims and an all-star cast of Parks and Jangs and Kangs on the LPGA Tour, and where youth of both genders make the turn to golf also from the time they learn to walk. Anthony is different. He was born in Los Angeles. He is eligible to play on the Ryder Cup team. He was aimed for golf from the time he was 2. “I don’t remember. That’s what my parents told me,” he said.
He went to the University of Oklahoma and made three All-American teams in a row. “I wanted to leave after my freshman year, but my mom convinced me to stay. And after my sophomore year, but she convinced me to stay again. After another year, though, she didn’t hold me back. My dad had been behind me turning pro, so that was that.”
He played the Valero Texas Open his first time out, on a sponsor’s exemption, and finished second, a $338,087 nest egg. He breezed through qualifying school, and he hasn’t looked back. He came into The Players on a $2 million cushion of earnings. Also, a restructured personality. When he first arrived on the tour, he was a kid on an island. A smart-off, hothead who found few friendships. With his newfound humility, he has developed some closer relationships.
“Are you now suddenly humble?” he was asked.
“No, I’m just not mouthing off,” he said, and he smiled, another newly acquired gesture. “I’ve changed a lot in the last couple of months. I’m hard- working, and I’m learning how to control what I say. Being No. 1 is a goal of mine, and I’m going to work hard to get there.”
It’s not that it’s just around the corner. It’s not that Tiger’s dominance is seriously endangered, but in his absence there’s a new wave of interest abroad in the press facility. Golf hasn’t been Kim’s only interest. If he hadn’t been just 5-feet-10, he might have aimed for the NBA. Basketball is still is first interest after golf.
“When I was 6, I thought I was going to play college basketball, college football and college golf,” he said. “But that was when I was 6.”
Here he is. Poised, in Tiger’s surgery absence. Though it should be considered that The Players has never been Woods’ private preserve. He hasn’t played well here, and in all these years still has only one championship on his scroll. So there’s room for an Anthony Kim at the Kingdom of Finchem.
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Comments
By Boots
May 9, 2008 9:59 PM | Link to this
Kim has got game and it will be a pleasure to follow his career. I don’t think he’ll be intimidated by Tiger. It’ll be interesting to see.
By ray m
May 9, 2008 10:18 PM | Link to this
Kim is ranked 16th in the world. Not 6th. Doesn’t anybody check facts/proof read anything anymore? Would have expected better.
By ray m
May 9, 2008 10:18 PM | Link to this
Kim is ranked 16th in the world. Not 6th. Doesn’t anybody check facts/proof read anything anymore? Would have expected better.
By Willy Gee
May 10, 2008 12:44 AM | Link to this
why is it when a young PGA player win ONE tournament. you as in the Golf reporters, writers and journalists you all begin to say. he is Tiger Wood’s new challenger! Not like they won after a day they turn pro. Maybe then I probably agree to that. Too many cuts and not consistently up in the leaderboard doesn’t makes them Tiger’s challenger. You are are all building up a challenger for no reason. other than they are young and win tournament once in a blue moon! To name a few. You have Scott, Immelman, Kim, Garcia, Rose, O’Hair. Even when they win. Likely the tournament is a 2nd tier.
By Craig
May 10, 2008 1:00 AM | Link to this
I guess even in 2008, certain concepts are sadly still lost in the Deep South. Anthony Kim does not “come from Korea” - he comes from the good ‘ole U.S. of A.
He’s “different” because he has the god given ability to strike a golf ball. What part of born and raised in the USA do you not understand Mr. Bisher?
Good grief… Are you for real?
By Rob
May 10, 2008 1:12 AM | Link to this
Good grief! He was born in Los Angeles, grew up in the U.S., and went to U of Oklahoma, but because his last name is Kim the author finds it appropriate to write that he “comes from the land which has given us several Kims and an all-star cast of Parks and Jangs and Kangs on the LPGA Tour, and where youth of both genders make the turn to golf also from the time they learn to walk.” Statements like that remind me of Fuzzy Zoeller’s comment about whether Tiger would be serving watermelon at the Master’s dinner. Oye.
By Fing Dizzle
May 10, 2008 10:27 AM | Link to this
Come on Fisher….total waste of my morning read and coffee…. This kid is not worthy of a mention in the same article as Tiger. He might compete with Sergio or the likes but Tiger? You must have been hanging out with Joe Ham lately…smoking somethin, somthin….
By freedawg
May 10, 2008 10:30 AM | Link to this
Craig, Rob: Give Mr. Bisher a break! So he probably should have said Kim’s “ethic origin” is Korean. Or you may have preferred him to say he was a Korean-American which means he’s no more Korean than say an African-American is an African. Regardless, in the same paragragh he clearly states, “Anthony is different. He was born in Los Angeles.” And Rob get your facts straight. It wasn’t watermelon Fuzzy Zoeller said that Tiger should be serving at the Master’s dinner, it was chicken.
By Tom
May 10, 2008 11:04 AM | Link to this
And what Fuzzy meant was that when the champion does not select a specialized menu, the powers that be at Augusta serve traditional Southern Fried Chicke n.
By Joe
May 10, 2008 12:12 PM | Link to this
Do you all not know how to read?!?! The writer said “anthony is different he was born in LA”…READ PLEASE GET AN EDUCATION!!! I agree these TW comparisons are ridiculous but at the same time it brings excitement. ALso AK is good lets just talk about a young new rising star but let’s hold off on the TW comparisons bc honestly it’s taking away of AK.
By Craig
May 13, 2008 4:02 PM | Link to this
Hey Joe,
Do yourself a favor and don’t embarass yourself like this. Get an education? How priceless, the guy who’s calling people out using ALL CAPS to get his point across, not getting the point. Thanks for the laughs dude. Seriously, thanks again; me and everyone here at the office had a good chuckle.
It’s basic journalism. It’s not up to the reader to infer what the author meant. This isn’t fiction, this is just plain lazy. 1) Mr. Bisher failed to check his facts (stats) and 2) Although his intentions may have been harmless, there’s no excuse for the manner in which it was written. It wreaks of xenophobia (whether that was the intent or not). Mr. Kim comes from nowhere else but the U.S. Ahhhhh, but you see, somehow, he was actually born here? Oh, wow - how convenient. Hang on, let me check…. wait a minute, well gosh golly gee, that means he can play for US and not THEM (note usage of ALL CAPS).
The bottome line is, would it have been written in that manner if his name was Anthony Smith? As you so well put it, the point is to talk about a young golf star who’s actually brought some excitement back while we wait for Tiger to heal. Not to have to read lazy and irresponsible journalism.
Freedawg, why would we cut Mr. Fisher a break? This is the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, not TMZ.com!