The Golf Watch

Kim breaks the fence...literally

Although I found some parts of Tiger Woods' Chevron World Challenge mildly captivating, the most entertaining part of the broadcast had to be Anthony Kim's mishap along the fence behind the 10th green.  Kim hit his second shot from the fairway bunker on the seemingly benign 359-yard 10th well over the green and up against the fence line.  While waiting for a ruling, he decided to sit on the wooden fence.  And it collapsed, literally.

He fell down, but took it like a champ, waving the broken piece of wood in the air while tipping his cap to an amused crowd.  Watch the actions unfold below.

"If the PGA Tour were a Broadway show..."

Of the few ledes I read (there weren't many out there) from yesterday's AT&T National, this one from Don Markus of The (Baltimore) Sun stuck out the most:

If the PGA Tour were a Broadway show, Anthony Kim would be considered the perfect understudy for its starring role.

"Thanks bro., I appreciate it"

Kudos to CBS for airing Anthony Kim's impromptu conversation with tournament host Tiger Woods after Kim's win at the AT&T National.  Greg McLaughlin of the Tiger Woods Foundation handed his cell phone over while Kim was signing autographs.  Kim picked up, uncertain as to who it was initially, and said:

What's up man? Thanks bro., I appreciate it.

I appreciated Kim's obvious comfort while speaking with Tiger over the phone.  I'm opening up comments for this one:  What do you think? 

Kim steps up for PGA Tour

On Wednesday, I was sitting on the driving range next to Rex Hoggard of Golfweek as we watched Anthony Kim prepare for the AT&T National.  He seemed fresh, confident, and relaxed.

I followed Kim for five holes during the pro-am, and he hit several superb shots, including one out of the rough on the par-4 3rd that I recorded in the video below.

Kim won the AT&T earlier today by two strokes over Fredrik Jacobson after firing a 5-under 65.  He's the first player since Tiger Woods to win twice in a year before the age of 25.

The PGA Tour needed a young gun to step up in Tiger's absence, and Kim is the first one to do so. 

Much more expected from Kim after first win

Anthony Kim won his first tour title, the Wachovia Championship, in impressive fashion yesterday.  The 22-year-old looked like a veteran at Quail Hollow, and Ron Green Jr. of the Charlotte Observer expects plenty more out of the young phenom...

A few years from now, maybe just months from now, this might be the week when the world looks back and says that's where Kim arrived.

He has the look of a man who is going to win multiple championships, and the worst thing he did this week was bleach the drama out of the tournament. But here's a thought -- how strong would a Tiger-Kim pairing in the Ryder Cup be in September?

Somewhere Sunday evening captain Paul Azinger had to be running that one through his mind.

Steve Elling of CBSSports.com adds that Kim's future 'has never looked better'...

For once, the worn comparisons to Woods don't seem like a complete stretch. Unlike several other of the under-30 gang, Kim doesn't have any holes in his game. He can putt in the clutch, finds plenty of greens, crushes the ball off the tee and is no shrinking violet with a microphone in his face, either.

It's time for Kim to shine

We've been waiting for this day for several years.  Anthony Kim has the lead going into the final round of a PGA Tour event, with the opportunity to win his first tour title. 

Something I appreciate is how Kim's attitude has changed in the past couple of years.  Last year, Kim was too hard on himself and exhibited an arrogant side which didn't seem healthy.  But when interviewed by Steve Sands of The Golf Channel after his round yesterday, Kim showed a new side:

Well, it's a great opportunity and I'd love to play well tomorrow.  But, it's not the end of the world if I don't.

This quote and others show his maturation.  Tim Rosaforte of Golf World expressed a similar sentiment on Saturday's edition of Golf Central, adding...

Well, I think this kid is going to hang on and win.  He's been grooming for this day all his life.  And at the end of the day, when you look back upon the Wachovia winners, Anthony Kim's name, if it's there, will be identified with a major championship.  Because he has been preparing for this day and this part of his career all his life...

Ron Green Jr. of the Charlotte Observer sums it up pretty well:

If Saturday at Quail Hollow felt like a cloudy dress rehearsal, Kim might be 18 holes from adding a stamp of validity to the claims -- some of them his own -- that he has the potential to be the next star in the PGA Tour universe.

Kim temporarily hires Eric Larson as new caddy

Less than a year ago, Anthony Kim parted ways with his caddy, Ron Levin, and joined forces with David Toms' former caddy, Scott Gneiser.  The Kim-Gneiser relationship apparently didn't work out, and according to Alex Miceli of Golfweek, Kim asked Eric Larson, Mark Calcavecchica's longtime caddy, if he would be interested in caddying on a trial basis for four weeks.  Larson asked Calcavecchia if that would be okay, and Calc approved, telling Larson if it doesn't work out with Kim, he would always have a job.  Since Larson has been on the bag, Kim has had a T2 finish at the Verizon, and a T19 finish at the Byron Nelson.  Miceli said on Friday's edition of the Sprint Post Game:

It’s a great story for Anthony, but it’s also a great story for Eric Larson, who has had some troubled times in his past.  Their really kind of bonding with each other.

Even though it's almost a certainty that Kim and Larson will stay together, at least Larson knows he always can go back to Calc if need be.

Kim makes the right call

I have heard a number of different opinions about Anthony Kim’s decision not to play in this week's Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.  Kim is currently ranked 64th in the world, and this is the final week before the 64-man field is selected for the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in two weeks.  Even though Kim could miss out on competing in the tournament, he made the right decision.  After all, he has played three weeks in a row at the Hope, Buick, and FBR, and four weeks in a row can burn anyone out.  Also, Ernie Els said he will not be playing at the Accenture, which opens up one more spot in the field.  Kim has so much to look forward to in the future, including many more opportunities to play in Tuscon. 

(PGATour.com picture)

Toms, Kim let go of caddies

David Toms and his caddy Scott Gneiser have been together for more than eight years, but Tim Rosaforte writes that they have decided to part ways.  PGA Tour rookie Anthony Kim has picked up Gneiser for this week's Deutsche Bank Championship after parting ways with his caddy, Ron Levin, after the final round of The Barclays.  Toms will use Justin Leonard's former caddy, Brent Everson this week. 

Kroichick: Kim, brightest hope for the future of American golf

22-year-old Anthony Kim already has nine top-25 finishes in his first year on the PGA Tour and Ron Kroichick of ESPN The Magazine writes, "The brightest hope for the future of American golf comes with power, touch and a disarming candor rarely seen on Tour. Anthony Kim may be only 22, but he seems to know exactly where he's headed. 'I don't see why I can't be the best player in the world in four years,' Kim says."  Kim is leading the tour in final-round scoring average and is one of the early favorites for Rookie of the Year.