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Anthony Kim • Hometown: La Quinta. • Education: La Quinta High School. Attended University of Oklahoma, left after his junior year in 2006. • Lowest round: 60 last year at Oklahoma’s home course. • Began playing golf: 3 years old. • Sponsor: Nike. It’s 9:30 Christmas morning. Where would you expect the youngest player on the PGA Tour to be? Yep, on the golf course — Trilogy at La Quinta, to be exact, heading out to the driving range with his dad to warm up. Before doing so, 21-year-old Anthony Kim looked back and paused to open the door for another golfer, who was in her second year of college when he was born. That golfer would be me, almost two weeks before I was given the assignment to write about Kim. I was impressed by the courteous gesture from one so young, but Kim has been making an impression for quite some time now. He earned a spot on the 2007 PGA Tour by tying for 13th at Qualilfying School at PGA West in December. It was no gimme. Kim played 108 holes over six days, shooting a final-round 72 on the TPC Stadium Course. If he had parred the last three holes rather than getting bogeys, he would have finished fourth. Still, his finish was well within the cut line and Kim is exactly where he wants to be: ready to be schooled on the PGA Tour. Kim stepped away from the University of Oklahoma after a stellar junior year, culminating with a seven-shot victory at the Ashworth Invitational. He also recorded an eight-shot victory at the Hall of Fame Invitational, where he was the only player in the field to break par for the tournament. “I’ve been working hard for this my whole life,” Kim said. “I felt it was time. I was ready to leave the college scene. I loved it, but I got to where I just wanted to play pro golf. I was ready to do it for myself.” Kim’s second-place finish at the Valero Texas Open last September validated his move. He followed the next week with a tie for 16th at the Southern Farm Bureau Classic. “I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to prove myself,” Kim said. “Before I turned pro, my goal was to be one of the top 30 players in the world. Nearly winning in Texas gave me more confidence.” That confidence is steeled with ambition. Goals include winning Rookie of the Year honors and eventually becoming the top-ranked player in the world. “I just don’t know if I’m ready to let myself play my best,” said Kim, who plans to play 25-30 events this year. “There are players out there that I want to learn from; guys who have been out there a while. I want to play good golf, but I also want to learn a lot.” Missing his first cut as a professional at the Sony Open in Hawaii last month was chalked up as the first lesson. “There was not too much pressure on me … because I had not played golf and I was rusty,” Kim said before teeing it up at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, where he finished tied for 45th. “I just went out there and freewheeled it and didn’t get a couple of breaks that should have gone my way. But there’s nothing you can do. “I just went out there to gain some more experience. Obviously, when you’re playing on sponsor exemptions with no status, you’re going to have a little bit more pressure to play well or else you’re not going to get any more starts. Knowing I have the full year ahead of me, it was easier to play golf.” Kim has won at every level of competition. Highlights of his high-school play in La Quinta include being a four-time AJGA All American, the 2001 California Junior Player of the Year, the 2001 Junior World Champion and a member of three consecutive AJGA Canon Cup winning teams. He also was an All American at Oklahoma his freshman year. “My parents advised me to be on top before I leave,” Kim said. “They said when you do that you’ll be ready for the next level.” The next level involves life lessons from Fred Funk, Todd Hamilton and David Duval, who all have been generous with advice. For Kim, the insider information couldn’t come at a better time. “I don’t think I would’ve been as open to learning as much two years ago when I was just being a college kid,” said Kim, who appreciates the help from Duval. “It was an awesome experience playing with him,” Kim said. “He was the No. 1 player in the world. I looked up to him then and I still do.” SG |
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