The Next Great American Golfer

Former Sooner Anthony Kim is out on the PGA Tour making quite a name for himself (and his Sooner fanhood, too)

The last time you saw Anthony Kim on TV playing in a PGA Tour event, chances are decent he was running on more than a few beers and less than an hour of sleep.

Chances are better you knew that you were witnessing the next great American golfer.

America’s next great golfer, the heir apparent to Tiger Woods and a rabid Sooners fan.

He was named All-American each of his three years at Oklahoma, claiming NCAA Freshman of the Year honors in 2004, and has drawn endless comparisons to Tiger Woods.

Tiger’s buddy Mark O’Meara even made the comment that when Anthony Kim hit the Tour his swing was better than Tiger’s at the same age.

He brings plenty of confidence as well. Most would describe him as brash and confident if not reckless and arrogant, and his mouth has gotten him ink in most major sports publications.

He’s been known to attempt absurd shots on the course, including one infamous par-four at the 2007 Reno-Tahoe Open. Kim attempted to carry the drink to a narrow strip of fairway on a shot that required a 380-yard drive. He carried it 390 and made birdie.

Kim has gone on record saying he’s “coming for Tiger” and wants to be “the baddest person on the planet.” Bold words from a kid who grew up idolizing Woods.

He wears a gaudy “AK” belt buckle, purchased from an Oklahoma mall, that looks like it belongs around Lil’ Wayne’s neck.

Until the tenth grade, he sincerely believed he would play in the NFL, the NBA and the PGA Tour in the same season. He stopped growing at 5’10” and realized golf was likely his best bet.

Apparently, however, little man’s got big game. Back in the day he would play pick-up ball with Kelvin Sampson’s squads.

“I felt like I was in good enough shape to run around with those boys,” Kim told Golf Magazine.

“I don’t know if I was quicker [than the starting point guard—presumably Drew Lavender or Terrell Everett]. I ran harder. I would say I had stronger legs.”

The little man’s got big game.

Kim’s partying and immaturity received a lot of attention when he first earned his tour card. He admits there were times he was so hung over he felt like he was going to throw up on the first tee. He took second at the 2006 Valero Texas Open having played at least one round on 45 minutes of sleep.

When he withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March of 2009, rumors went around that he had been disqualified for no call, no showing on the tournament’s pro-am event. Although Kim said he had the flu, speculation arose that he had partied too hard the previous night.

At OU, he was suspended for two tournaments after a physical altercation with head coach Jim Ragan.

At a bar on campus, Kim bought fellow Sooner and ’04 British Open winner Todd Hamilton his first Jager Bomb. Kim was too young to even be in the establishment.

While it’s true he’s no stranger to the 19th hole, Kim has done a lot of growing up and says he no longer drinks when he’s on the road.

Other signs indicate that Kim is now taking his game more seriously. He began working with Rich Darby, strength and conditioning coach at OU who is credited for helping Blake Griffin become the top pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, as well as taking advice from the older players on tour like Hamilton and O’Meara.

Kim won the Wachovia Championship at age 22, becoming the youngest player to win on Tour since Sergio Garcia in ‘02, which means he was probably shooting lower than you by the time he reached grade school.

Even if you’re just a casual golf fan, get used to this face.

He sent team Europe to their collective beds without supper in the 2008 Ryder Cup. In his match against Garcia, Kim refused to concede a three-foot putt (which Garcia went on to miss) and relief for an unplayable lie (Kim won the hole. Garcia proceeded to assume the fetal position, landing two approach shots in the drink on the ensuing hole.)

It is well acknowledged that he is one of the most gifted players to ever pick up a set of sticks.

His ball striking is nasty. His putting ridiculous.

No one ever said the kid couldn’t play. What you may not know is that his fanhood is no joke either. He has a goldendoodle named Norman to prove it.

Kim earned serious street cred following OU’s loss to Florida in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game.

It was Round 1 of the Mercedes-Benz Championship, the opening event of golf’s PGA tour season, and Kim was paired with former Gator Camilo Villegas. Kim came to work proudly rocking his OU hat.

He may as well have come in a hard hat, because the boy went to work. He proceeded to school Villegas by three strokes on the day (six strokes for the tournament) on his way to a second-place finish.

Despite the $1.12 million purse for the winner, Kim later admitted he was thinking more about the game than his round.

Props, AK. Props.

The man represents with his bag, too. Kim secured his second Tour victory at the 2008 AT&T National—affectionately known as ‘the Natty’—with his Scotty Cameron Studio Select putter complete with Teryllium insert and ‘Boomer Sooner’ engraving across the bottom.

Boomer Sooner to you, AK.

At this year’s Natty, he went out and set the course record with an opening round 62.

Kim, who could have played at any school in the country, didn’t decide to sign with OU until his first recruiting trip to Norman. The Sooners were hosting Alabama in the game in which Jason White tore his ACL for the second time.

“I was going for the free football game and to hang out at the college and see what that’s about,” Kim said. “But after the football game, I knew that was the school for me. So I’ve been a diehard OU sports fan.

“Not just football, but basketball, too.”

At the 2009 HP Byron Nelson Pro-Am, Kim was paired with Texas football coach Mack Brown. Although both behaved like gentlemen and even hugged following the round, AK admitted he almost let his fanhood get the best of him. “I cam out here with the mindset of talking some trash,” Kim told ESPN. “But Coach Brown’s been so nice.”

For once, he couldn’t get it out of his mouth.