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VOLVO WORLD MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIPOctober 30, 2009Anthony KimCASARES, SPAIN GORDON SIMPSON: Many congratulations on reaching the semifinals of the Volvo World Match Play, and I heard your caddie saying it was 274 yards with a 3-wood to four feet. Heck of a way to finish a match. ANTHONY KIM: It is. I'm glad with the way the points system is set up. Very fortunate. Obviously I ran into a buzzsaw today. I don't even know how many birdies Scott made, but it was a ton. I think he was 6-under through eight holes, and it was pretty tough to hang in there. I was 3-under through eight. Had not made a bogey, and I was 3-down. So I knew it was tough sledding from there, but I just kept grinding away and my caddie and I just said, hey, we are going to get our chances and hopefully we will get a couple breaks go our way and we will make a couple of putts. Unfortunately it didn't happen during the match but on 18 when I needed to hit a good one, we got a good number and hit a great shot. GORDON SIMPSON: No doubt in your mind that you had to really go for that one. ANTHONY KIM: Sure. When Scott laid up, I knew that whether I had to really step on it or not, I was going to have to go for it, and it was the perfect number and we just hit it as hard as we could and it was four feet. GORDON SIMPSON: Did you enjoy that, knowing the pressure was on? ANTHONY KIM: I really did. I had been playing so early on Sundays usually, if not at all, that I'd like being in that position again (laughing). Q. How do you like the course? ANTHONY KIM: I've walked it so many times now that -- I really do enjoy the course. It's a tough walk, that's for sure. GORDON SIMPSON: How's the feet; sore. ANTHONY KIM: Yeah, they are a little sore but the guys here in the physio van helped me out this morning. Got a little stretch and some soft tissue work done and it feels really good. But the course is in great shape. There's some spots you can't miss it or you're going to be in trouble and make a bogey for sure. I hit in a couple of those today, but the greens are rolling perfect, and obviously when there's only 16 players playing, the course is going to be in great shape. Q. Can you name a better shot you've hit when you needed to? ANTHONY KIM: You know, I'm sure I have in different situations, but I think at Congressional when I was either tied for the lead or one ahead going into the final round there on 16, I hit a shot from about 130 to three feet. But all of those shots kind of run together. But it was a special shot for me, because I haven't been able to swing that way and trust my golf swing and I really had to trust it there and felt good about hitting the golf shot. Q. What was the reaction like from Scott Strange, because it would have been a hard way for him to have gone out, as well. ANTHONY KIM: You know, I don't know. I know that my caddie and I were pretty excited about getting through. We knew on that second shot that I needed to win the hole. But you know, it has to be bittersweet because Scott played unbelievable today. It's unfortunate for him that it went that way, but I'm glad it went my way this time, and hopefully I can build on that this weekend. Q. Did you know him? ANTHONY KIM: No. I've met him before, but I did not know him. Q. I don't know if I heard correctly, what was the club and the distance on the shot on the 18th? ANTHONY KIM: It was 3-wood from 274. Q. Uphill. ANTHONY KIM: Uphill. (Smiling). Q. You had to be aggressive there, and you're never happier than when you're aggressive, this kind of format will suit that kind of aggression. ANTHONY KIM: Well, it suits it, and sometimes it can be your Achilles heel, because if a guy is 30 feet and maybe you're right in-between clubs, you shouldn't go for it. But every once in awhile, I get that itch and I go for it, and two feet too far left and it goes down the swale and 30 yards off the green. So I'm trying to maintain that, and my caddie and I have done a good job positioning the golf ball this week. Q. How have you done in the other match play, Tucson and San Diego? ANTHONY KIM: At the World Golf Championships, I think I won one and lost one. But there's no excuses. I actually flew in from Malaysia the day before the Match Play and didn't even get a practice round in. So I don't consider that really giving it my best shot. But I came in early, was here and worked with my golf coach last week and had a great session and I'm trusting my golf swing right now. Q. Sour so you are playing Robert Allenby in the semifinal, can you tell us what you think about it, and have you talked to him since The Presidents Cup at all? ANTHONY KIM: You know, that's not something really I want to get into, but I have talked to Robert. What's done is done and it's in the past now. I'm obviously excited to be in the semifinals. That's pretty much what I can tell you. I'm excited to be here. I haven't been in the final four of anything in a very long time and neither have my teams whether in college or pros make it to the playoffs. So I'm excited to be in that position and hopefully the Lakers and the Cowboys can do it too, this year. Q. Can you draw on the fact that you did beat him in The Presidents Cup, heavily? ANTHONY KIM: Yeah, it was one round of golf. I played fantastic. I don't know if he had his best stuff that day, but it's a totally new tournament. I'm excited to be here. I'm excited to be in the semifinals. That way my parents get to see me on TV. They tell me they miss me all the time. I gave them a little bit better reason to turn on the TV and watch their boy. GORDON SIMPSON: What was your last final appearance, at any level, pro or amateur? ANTHONY KIM: In match play, I don't think I've ever been -- oh, Pub Links. See, he clubs me from off the golf course. (Laughter, referring to caddie). I lost in the Public Links final one year. I think that's pretty much it. But match play is fun for me. So I'm going to enjoy being there and like I said, hopefully my parents will tune in. Q. That presumably had a place in the Masters at stake? ANTHONY KIM: I did. But I said I was going to turn pro right after the U.S. Amateur, and there's no way I would have stayed amateur. Q. Not even for Augusta? ANTHONY KIM: I felt like if I played well enough, I could get in the Masters before the seeding started. And I was only six or seven spots off the Official World Golf Ranking by the time the Masters rolled around. So I was close. I didn't play well enough. Obviously it's a special tournament that I get to go to now. Q. Big day tomorrow, 36 holes, how do you prepare for that? Do you get an early night or do you go out for a meal (laughter). ANTHONY KIM: What do you think? (Laughter). Q. Just take us through. ANTHONY KIM: I'm going to tell you what I'm going to do. What time is it here, 5.00? I'm going to have dinner at 6.30 here at the Finca Cortesin Resort, which has treated us beautifully. Be done by 7.30, shower, 8.00; Internet, talk to some of my friends, 8.00 to 9.00, be in bed by 9.30. (Laughter). Q. One thing down the stretch, it was looking pretty close, what was the key for you there, maintaining focus and keeping your will until the last hole? ANTHONY KIM: Look, like I said, it's been a long time since I've been able to have a chance to win or be in contention even. So I just kept grinding away. Whether I'm hitting good shots or not, it's fun being out there. It's fun being in the heat of battle. And it's fun knowing that my golf swing is really going to work under pressure. For it to work on 18, it was unbelievable. I mean, I've been struggling with my 3-wood a lot, and Nike just built me this 3-wood about two weeks ago, and it's been working great. And I've been missing all my shots to the left and now I've got it going working to the right, and that's what I needed on 18 there. Q. What are your thoughts on playing The European Tour next year? Have you made a decision? ANTHONY KIM: You know, I actually had a conversation with my agent two or three weeks ago about playing more over here. I enjoy the people over here. I enjoy playing in front of the fans, and I enjoy travelling. One of the downsides is the way I get a chance to play here is I have to play as much on the PGA TOUR. So I just have to play more golf tournaments. But, you know, my parents are getting a little bit older. They want to travel, as well, so I figure why not bring them to Europe, have a good time, play some golf, enjoy their company, and we'll go out and have a good time. So it's a decision I'm thinking about right now, to play more over here, and I'd like to do that, personally. Q. There's one more tournament next year, 12, as opposed to 11; is that a problem? ANTHONY KIM: No, I'd like to, obviously with the majors and the World Golf Championships, I'd like to play more than that. GORDON SIMPSON: Anthony, good look tomorrow. End of FastScripts |
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