	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

VOLVO WORLD MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

October 29, 2009

Anthony Kim

CASARES, SPAIN

GORDON SIMPSON: Well, congratulations on that very productive first day in the Volvo World Match Play Championship. Just take us through what happened today to get two for two.
ANTHONY KIM: I think I made quite a few birdies. I don't know how many I made but it was a fun day. I haven't had this much fun playing golf in quite a long time. It's been a tough year, but my coach and I had a great week last week and feel like I finally started progressing instead of going backwards.
I'm not there yet, but I'm definitely making more birdies, definitely feel more confident about my game, and I think that's all golf is about, confidence.
So my caddie and I did a good job of staying patient when things weren't going well for us, and just made pars and grinded it out. So if we keep this up, we are going to be in good shape.
GORDON SIMPSON: Did you feel it was imperative to make a fast start, based on the format?
ANTHONY KIM: I did. The fact that we are playing 18 holes, and if there is a tiebreaker, granted you don't want to be in one; I felt that I have to make as many birdies as possible to give myself some kind of cushion.

Q. Can you talk about the decision to come over here, because a lot of Americans didn't, and you decided to. So can you say why you decided to and what you knew about the tournament and those sort of things?
ANTHONY KIM: Well, it was a tough decision. I wanted to come, definitely wanted to be here. I was waiting on other people to withdraw so I could get in.
So I didn't know last-minute what was going to happen. I obviously made a caddie change recently, and definitely wanted to get some rounds with him, some competitive rounds with him under my belt and under his belt, as well.
So I felt like this was a great opportunity to come over here and just found out I got into HSBC, so I'll be heading over there, and Kiwi after that. So I felt like three weeks on, give myself a little break, and get ready for next season.

Q. Where did the confidence start dipping? What was the turning point?
ANTHONY KIM: Through one of my 30 injuries it started dipping. When I was hanging up surfing or on the back of a horse, that's when the confidence in my golf game started dipping. But you know, it's one injury led to me compensating, injured another part of my body, another part of my body. And then you can't do what you're used to doing. So my driver is probably the straightest club in my bag, and I couldn't get that in between white stakes, let alone the rough.
So it was tough. But I'm starting to feel like I can hit almost every fairway out there, which is a nice feeling.

Q. What were your overall thoughts on the course today?
ANTHONY KIM: The course is in great shape. Obviously when you play well, you like the course a lot more, but the greens were absolutely perfect, and even if I had putted horribly, I would say the same thing, and there's very few times I think I could say that and mean it. But I really do; the greenskeeper and the course super have obviously done a great job of making the greens fast, but receptive at the same time.
You know, if you hit a shot downwind, it's going to release out, and if you hit a good shot in, it will check and have some spin on it.

Q. If you've been playing poorly, do you think match play is a good format of game to actually get your confidence back, because one bad hole is just one bad hole?
ANTHONY KIM: Well, you could look at it that way. But I've been having so many bad holes in a row that I would be four or five down in match play, regardless.
So you do have to play well. There is times where you and your opponent could both be having a poor day and end up squeaking out 1-up or 2-up. You know, any time you play against the best players in the world, you have to step up your game, and hit fairways and greens.
GORDON SIMPSON: You clearly enjoyed today. When did you last feel as confident and happy about a day's golf?
ANTHONY KIM: It's been over a year, and that's scary, because I play golf with a lot of confidence and I play with a little bit of aggression, maybe sometimes too much aggression. But it was hard to fire away from pins from 120, 130 yards because I didn't know what my swing was going to do.
Now that it's back into form and rounding into form, I feel good about these next coming days.

Q. A lot said, a lot written at the end of The Presidents Cup about non-golfing issues, I know you're not going to talk about exactly what happened, but have you proved to yourself again how strong mentally you are; that it's clearly not affected you on the course.
ANTHONY KIM: I have no idea what you're talking about. (Laughter).

Q. Well the Allenby incident, shall we say.
ANTHONY KIM: Oh, that? It's in the past. Robert and I talked obviously, and we have moved on. I am here to give myself a chance to win the Volvo World Match Play, and I have two wins under my belt today and hopefully I get another couple coming up here.

Q. Do you feel it is important to have fun off the golf course, because everyone else does, you're a young person, you should be able to party with your friends but also somehow get the balance when you get back on the course. Do you look at yourself at times and say, okay, I have to know how to divide up when I have time.
ANTHONY KIM: Absolutely. There's a time and place for everything, and my mother has been telling me that since I was four years old.
GORDON SIMPSON: Do you always listen to her?
ANTHONY KIM: I try to. Because she still scares me. (Laughter) But there is a time and place for everything and I actually answered this question yesterday with Paul here, and what happened is when I signed my contract with Nike, when I signed my contract with IMG, when I signed my deal, whatever deal, RBC, with some of the notoriety and the money came a lot more responsibility. And sometimes it's easy to forget and just say, I'm 24 years old, I'll do whatever I want. But I understand and have for the last year and a half, have been good about understanding that this is my job. There's a lot of little kids that look up to me; I'd better represent myself and the companies that I do represent, well.

Q. The way it's shaping up, at the moment, it's odds-on you're going to play Robert in the semifinal. Will that have a little bit of extra entertainment for you or do you care?
ANTHONY KIM: You know, my caddie and I entertain ourselves pretty well out there. Bernie is very entertaining so hopefully I'll try to make it good as possible.
GORDON SIMPSON: Great playing today, great start and enjoy your morning off tomorrow. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297