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MERCEDES-BENZ CHAMPIONSHIP

January 11, 2009

Anthony Kim

KAPALUA, HAWAII

JOHN BUSH: We would like to welcome Anthony Kim into the interview room here at the Mercedes-Benz Championship.
Just your thoughts on a good start to the season.
ANTHONY KIM: It was a very adventurous week. I got to do a lot of fun activities like snorkeling.
Geoff played a tremendous tournament, and my hat goes off to him.

Q. You got within one, I didn't know if you knew that then or whatever. But what were your thoughts going into the back nine?
ANTHONY KIM: Well, I knew he was going to make birdies. So I had to do the same.
And I just haven't been able to read the greens on the back nine this week. I grinded on every single putt and hit quite a few good putts that didn't go in. So I knew he was just teasing me for a little while there, and he was going to make some birdies, and I had to keep doing. Unfortunately I couldn't do it.

Q. Talk about the second into 18, and also if you've ever had a double-eagle.
ANTHONY KIM: I've had three double-eagles, but nothing like that.
I had just come off a 3-putt on 17, so I wasn't very happy. We were thinking about hitting 2-iron out there to the right and trying to sling something in there, but that wasn't going to get to the hole. So my caddie and I decided we were going to fire at the flag.
It looked like the hole was on an island, really. It looked like there was hazard and then the hole. But I hit a great shot and it worked out perfectly and almost went in.

Q. What was the yardage and the club?
ANTHONY KIM: 278, 280, somewhere around there. I hit 3-wood.

Q. So take us through on the green on 17 for a 6-under?
ANTHONY KIM: Yeah, that's typical. That's golf.

Q. Incredible, isn't it?
ANTHONY KIM: It's frustrating, but what can you do.

Q. When you saw Geoff made eagle at 9, you thought he was going to make birdie, but he was kind of leaking oil and then pulls out an eagle. Did you see that he had done that?
ANTHONY KIM: I didn't know he had made eagle. I thought he had made a couple of birdies. But either way, I knew he was going to start pulling away if I didn't make enough birdies.
I think the rust from not having practiced and played just caught up to me, and unfortunately, I didn't pull off the right shots at the right time.

Q. Are you playing next week?
ANTHONY KIM: No. Week off.

Q. Are you chomping at the bit, knowing you didn't practice coming in here and you played so well? Does it get you motivated a little more?
ANTHONY KIM: Oh, I was motivated going into this year. I had very high expectations that I choose to keep to myself. I know that if I work hard that there's a lot out there for me. I just need to go get it and I'm not afraid to do it.
Hopefully I can just keep working and one day win some more golf tournaments.

Q. You talked about you thought Geoff was going to go on a run, but did you expect 7-under in seven holes? Did you expect something like that?
ANTHONY KIM: I mean, I don't really care what Geoff's doing, because I'm scrambling for pars out there on 290-yard holes.
I knew he was going to make birdies. I knew it was my job to keep matching him and keep pushing him. I didn't put enough heat on him; 7-under through seven holes, what can you say? Great golf.

Q. Did you have a number to shoot at before you started this morning?
ANTHONY KIM: 59 (laughter). No, I didn't know what was going to happen. I woke up this morning at 7:00, or whatever time I did, and it was pitch black. I didn't even know we were going to tee it up and turned out to be a beautiful day here in Maui and pretty good tournament.

Q. Was the course maybe a little soft? I figured it had to be with the rain, but did that play into how it played? Did you not get some carry into some holes that you might have expected or anything like that?
ANTHONY KIM: No, it played maybe a shot easier, because on the par 5s, you could fly it on the green and hold them. I only did that on one hole, by the way, but it happened to me on 18 (laughter).

Q. Having this tournament, first time here, are you excited to have a chance to come back here?
ANTHONY KIM: I'm not back yet. I would love to come back, absolutely. Gary has done such a wonderful job, and Mercedes-Benz has obviously put in a lot of money and effort to keep this tournament going. So very thankful for the opportunity to come out here.
JOHN BUSH: Anthony, thanks for coming by.

End of FastScripts

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