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JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC

February 18, 2009

Anthony Kim

PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

GORDON SIMPSON: Anthony, thank you very much for joining us today and looking ahead to the 2009 Johnnie Walker Classic. Last week you really just gave yourself too much to do early on, didn't you, and then came back with a terrific second round.
ANTHONY KIM: Yeah, I did. It was a lot different than the Phoenix Open, which I played the week before. But just couldn't find my game early and started finding a little bit of my rhythm towards the end of the first round where I made a couple of pars.
So it was a good learning experience, definitely, to get out there in Malaysia. It was great to play in front of a new crowd, and I think I'm starting to knock the rust off.
GORDON SIMPSON: The second round, you must have been proud of that one to make sure you were playing on the weekend.
ANTHONY KIM: I was. It was a little bit of an embarrassment to shoot 78 on a very short golf course, which I felt like I hit the ball pretty well. So to shoot 65 was a little bit better feeling.
GORDON SIMPSON: And talking about good feelings, do you feel that there's a good year ahead of you now that you've played in The Ryder Cup, you've experienced golf at the top level?
ANTHONY KIM: I do. I'm looking for a better year than last, definitely. I feel like my game is coming around, and I think if I'm doing all of the right things off the golf course, it's going to lead to good golf on, so I'm excited about this year.

Q. Your first visit to Australia, what do you think so far of Perth?
ANTHONY KIM: Well, I haven't been doing too much since I just got here yesterday. It's a beautiful place, and looking forward to seeing some more kangaroos. Hopefully I'll be looking at them from a distance and not in the bushes with them. But it's a beautiful place.

Q. How are you feeling going into tomorrow's tournament?
ANTHONY KIM: I'm excited. I haven't hit the driver well in a long time. I just found this new driver the week before I came here after the Phoenix Open, I started testing this new Nike Dymo driver, and with a degree more loft than I'm used to. It is working out great. I think driving the ball is important out here, so I'm feeling pretty good.

Q. You grew up in Los Angeles; was it a difficult choice to come to the Johnnie Walker, rather than playing this week in Los Angeles?
ANTHONY KIM: It was. It was a very tough decision because I was given a sponsor's exemption, even though I was on TOUR last year, I needed a sponsor exemption to play.
But I want to be a global player and I feel like I'm in The Race to Dubai now, I qualified. I feel like it's important for me to be a global player, and I want to experience all of these great places and payoff in the long run.

Q. Why is it important to be a global player? That's unlike an American attitude to want to be a global player.
ANTHONY KIM: Well, my mom and dad think it's very important, and my mom is still my boss, so I have to listen to her. (Laughter).
It's important to her and it's important to me. My parents are from Korea, so I feel like it's important for me to go back every year and play in front of the Korean crowd. I feel like that's where I can make a difference. There's plenty of good players everywhere in the world, but you know, it's not usual for Americans to go around playing around the world. I feel like I can kind of of take that step and keep it moving forward.

Q. But they are worried about the travel, and they are worried about foreign food, aren't they?
ANTHONY KIM: I'm used to eating foreign food. (Laughter).

Q. It's not too foreign in this part of the world is it?
ANTHONY KIM: No, the food's been great. It's been curry all day long.
GORDON SIMPSON: I suppose Tiger Woods sets the example, as well. He's travelled to Dubai and Asia, and he's been all over. If he can do it, anyone can do it.
ANTHONY KIM: Well, he's flying on a private jet.
GORDON SIMPSON: That's coming!
ANTHONY KIM: But Tiger, he has set the precedent, and he's travelled the world and won all over the world. So he's not a bad guy to emulate, and obviously he's done so many great things. But you just try to do the best you can.

Q. Have you had a chance to get on the putting green just yet?
ANTHONY KIM: I did. It's a lot faster than Malaysia. So I'm still getting used to it. The greens seem to be rolling pretty well, and I think if the putter is not ice cold, I'll be in pretty good shape.

Q. Is it a relief to get back to sort of a normal track for you after what happened last week with the putting?
ANTHONY KIM: It is. The course, actually, in Malaysia was great. The conditions were fine. It was set up beautifully. But the greens were what I struggled with, and I don't think I'll have that same problem here.

Q. What are your thoughts on The Race to Dubai and the whole concept?
ANTHONY KIM: I still don't know everything about the FedExCup and it's going to be my third year, so I'm still getting used to the idea of it.
I know if you play good and win golf tournaments, you're going to probably be at the top of that list, so that's really all I know.

Q. But in terms about the sport and more players travelling around the world.
ANTHONY KIM: Having the world golf events and the majors a part of it is definitely going to help The European Tour because you only have to play three or four more events to qualify to get into the top 60.
So I think it's definitely going to bring some more players over here. You've got Boo, Camilo, myself and a couple other people are going to join. So it's definitely going to make The European Tour stronger I think.
GORDON SIMPSON: Do you know which events you've committed to yet in terms of the Race?
ANTHONY KIM: No, I think this is the last one I know of, but I think IMG is working on something. They always are. So hopefully it won't be my last tournament of the season.

Q. Can I ask you about Greg Norman, have you had much to do with him in your career and just your thoughts on tournaments with him and him as a golfer?
ANTHONY KIM: Well, I never thought I would be playing a tournament with him. He was somebody that I looked up to very much and my dad wore his hats all the time.
So it was hard not to notice around the house. But he's been tremendous for the game and I've gotten to know him a little bit. Played in the Merrill Lynch Shootout which he hosts. I've got to talk to him a little bit, and it's a tremendous honour for me to be around a guy like that, because he's done so much, not just in golf, but outside of golf, he's done a lot of things that I would like to do in my life.
So, a great guy. He's always ready to chat. I try not to take up too much of his time. He's a busy man, especially in Australia. He's a very nice man.

Q. In the practice round, you walked up and spoke with Greg briefly; can you tell us what you said?
ANTHONY KIM: I just told him that he's probably hitting just as good as he used to before. He looks like he's in better shape every year. You know, a guy like that, you have to respect, and try to model yourself a little bit after him.

Q. What's the harshest advice your mom's given you?
ANTHONY KIM: I can't say that. (Laughter).

Q. What about the kindest advice?
ANTHONY KIM: I think the most important advice is remember where you came from. I think what she means by that is give everyone the same treatment as you would if you and another person were switching places. I think there's been many times where I've looked up to a basketball player, a golfer, or a football player and maybe had the chance to come around them at eight, nine years old and not given the time of day.
Granted, people are busy and you're not going to make everybody happy, but I want to be somebody that is just like everybody else and treats everybody with the same kind of respect.

Q. You mentioned Greg hitting the ball as well as he ever has; would it stun you if he won this week?
ANTHONY KIM: He's a great player. He's proven himself so many times over and over again. I mean, look what he did at British Open. I don't think too many people expected him to do that after being away from tournament golf for so long.
But in this game, you can't ever underestimate anybody.
So I want to say that I'm going to concentrate on my game.

Q. You mentioned concentration there, but whenever we see you on the course, you smile a lot and you really look as though you enjoy yourself when you're out there playing. Do you ever feel that you have to be more intense on the course?
ANTHONY KIM: The biggest advice was when I was a youngster and went out with 14 clubs and walked back with 11. Then I knew my clubs were going away for a week, so I've changed to being a lot more relaxed out there, but in my mind and in my heart, I want it just as bad as when I was 13 years old. And when that putt doesn't go in, I want to putt it over my knee, but it's not somebody that I would want to watch on TV. If I was a kid, that isn't somebody I would want to look up to, and it's really important for my mom, for me to be that person.
So I want to -- I don't want to be that guy that everybody talks about, the guy that broke his putter because he missed a putt, I don't want to be him. I want to be the guy that the kids look up to and know that I'm having fun and I'm enjoying what I'm doing for a living.

Q. What's your mother's name?
ANTHONY KIM: Myryoung.
GORDON SIMPSON: Sounds like a formidable lady.
ANTHONY KIM: She's tough.
GORDON SIMPSON: But she's instilled great habits in you, hasn't she.
ANTHONY KIM: She has. People ask me who is more important to develop in my golf game, and my dad was with me through all of it, every bad shot he was with me. But my mom did just as much for me as my dad did, so I had great parents that led me the right way.

Q. Does she play?
ANTHONY KIM: No, she just actually started giving lessons, so that's a little weird.
GORDON SIMPSON: Are you helping?
ANTHONY KIM: No, I stay away.
GORDON SIMPSON: Well, have a great week here at the Vines and look forward to seeing you during the week. Thank you very much.

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