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EDS BYRON NELSON CHAMPIONSHIPApril 27, 2007Anthony KimIRVING, TEXAS JOE CHEMYCZ: We welcome Anthony Kim with a 4-under par 66 today. Anthony, it's been a good week for you, a good past couple of weeks for you, tied for third last week at Zurich. Maybe talk a little bit about what's been so good for the last six, seven, eight weeks. ANTHONY KIM: I think I'm just starting to learn the ropes a little bit better and a couple putts are starting to fall, which is nice. It's just -- I don't know what it is, it's just the ball is going my way, and it's rolling towards the hole instead of bouncing off a cart path into a bad lie. I guess I'm working a little bit harder, but everything is just falling into place for me. Q. You've had three Top 10s so far, but each time it seems like you made your move over the weekend. What's it like to be in this position heading into the weekend? ANTHONY KIM: It's nice. Just barely making the cut is stressful enough, and I feel like I'm a pretty good weekend player, and I've closed a number of tournaments. So I'm just going to go out there with the same attitude and play smart and see what happens. I finally gave myself a good opportunity to win with two days to go, and we'll see how it ends up. Q. What was the difference with these two rounds than previous tournaments? ANTHONY KIM: The ball went in in fewer strokes (laughter). But, I mean, I couldn't tell you. I didn't feel like I played any better these first two days than other two days in New Orleans, but I was in 60th place. Just like I said, the ball went in a little bit faster. Q. Could you expand on your connection with Royal Oaks and how you ended up in Dallas? ANTHONY KIM: Well, I signed with Hambric Sports Management, and they had a connection or a tie to Royal Oaks, and I've gotten to know Randy Smith and he's helped me out quite a bit, so I decided to join there. Q. Was there anything that really triggered this kind of hot stretch for you, I mean, a certain round or something that, you know, just kind of got you moving? ANTHONY KIM: I wouldn't say anything triggered it. I actually decided I wanted to play some good golf and work hard. So if you're going to do that, you'll probably play better. Q. You had the posse following you out there today. Talk a little bit about them and the energy that you get from them. ANTHONY KIM: Well, it's awesome with them around. They came out to the Walker Cup and that's where all this started. I'm glad that they're here, and it's really nice to have them support me just because they don't know golf that well and they appreciate every shot you hit. And so even when I make a bogey they're clapping and trying to pump me up, so it's awesome to have them here. Q. Your college coach said you have a very competitive streak regardless of what you're doing. Can you talk about where that comes from, and also an example of your competitiveness in golf or otherwise? ANTHONY KIM: I guess it's just my dad is pretty competitive, and he's raised me to be pretty competitive myself. I really couldn't give you an example. There's been many times where I've lost tournaments or I've lost, my team's lost in something in other sports and I lose sleep over it, and I know there's some people that don't. I couldn't give you an example, but definitely I feel like I'm a pretty competitive person, and when it comes down to it, at the end I know I'm going to win the tournament. I'm not making any predictions this week, but if there's nine holes to go, I'll be ready. Q. Along those lines, you're the youngest player on TOUR but you've said you'd like to be the best player in the world. Do you have a timetable for that? ANTHONY KIM: It just depends on how hard I practice. I think I still slack off a little bit, and it's hard being 21 living in an adult world. It's been great, though. There's no timetable. I know if I'm working hard that I'm going to get there, and I'm not going to be afraid of being the best player in the world. Q. What's the toughest part about being 21 out here? We talked the other day about iPods and some of the older guys are your friends, but what's the toughest thing about being the young guy? ANTHONY KIM: There's a couple guys out here who are a little bit -- I don't want to say insecure with their job, but I think they're a little threatened that there's someone at 21 coming out taking some of their money away from them. Q. You're not the only Oklahoma athlete to leave a year early. Do you have in interest in where Adrian Peterson gets picked tomorrow? ANTHONY KIM: I have an interest in the whole NFL draft obviously. Being a Sooner, I'm going to be watching. But hopefully he'll make a lot of money, and we'll see what happens. Q. Where would you like to see him go? ANTHONY KIM: Dallas (laughter). Q. Have you ever golfed with him? ANTHONY KIM: No, I can't say I've ever golfed with him. Q. What was working for you on the back nine? ANTHONY KIM: I hit it closer and I putted better. I mean, it was just -- I was doing the same thing on the back nine as I was on the front, and fortunately the ball bounced a couple times and ended up by the hole. We'll see what happens the next two days. Q. You're a pretty good basketball player, aren't you? ANTHONY KIM: I used to play. I'm done. Q. Is that what you played when you started? You lived in inner city LA, right? ANTHONY KIM: Yeah, we lived downtown. Q. Was that the game of choice when you were a little guy? ANTHONY KIM: Yeah. You know, if I had a choice right now and I wasn't five-nothing, I would still play basketball, but I don't obviously. I'm not really jumping at any gyms. This is the game I was blessed to play, and we'll see how it turns out. Q. People have talked about your toughness. You had to be tough to be small and playing basketball anyway. I assume if you're five-nothing now, you were four-nothing back when you were on the basketball court? ANTHONY KIM: Yeah, I was still five-nothing, but regardless, I was playing with a lot of six-nothings (laughter), and it was always tough and I was always the littler guy playing any sport. You know, I think my parents bred me to play the type of golf -- I've gotten influenced from both parents, and I think my dad brings more of the toughness and commitment to the sport, and my mom brings the more relaxed attitude, even though I don't have too much of that. I try to bring some of that to my game (smiling). Q. To stick with the basketball analogy, did you use the backboard a little bit on the 18th approach shot? ANTHONY KIM: Not too much, but I'm sure it glanced off the backboard. Q. What is it that makes you think that some guys out here are insecure? ANTHONY KIM: Little comments they walk around and say, the little cliques out here. I'm not afraid of any of these little cliques that they've got out here. You know, they don't treat -- there's some people out here that treat other athletes or other golfers a little bit better than they do the rookies. But there's only a small percentage of them. And there's a large percentage who take you in and show you the ropes. Q. Kind of like rookie hazing or something like that? ANTHONY KIM: No, it's not rookie hazing. Q. Not literally, but is it -- ANTHONY KIM: Right, but no, it's not like that. You know, if you're insecure with something, you're going to lash out at some people. I've been lashed at a couple times. Q. What's been said to you? ANTHONY KIM: No comment. Q. Do you feel the weather has kind of helped you? On the back nine you played a little bit better. It was a little bit colder and crisper this morning, and it heats up pretty quick out here. ANTHONY KIM: I don't think it was the weather, I'm just glad I made it today and got my clothes on. I got my clothes on about 15 minutes before my tee time. I wouldn't say it was the weather. I think I started swinging it better on the back. But it just had to do with the golf. JOE CHEMYCZ: Anthony, thank you. Play well this weekend. ANTHONY KIM: Thank you. End of FastScripts |
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