Wednesday, Apr. 28, 2010
By Alan Blondin - ablondin@thesunnews.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Like most golfers, Anthony Kim prominently displays the logos of his sponsors, including Nike and Royal Bank of Canada.
He uses another product so much, he's considering finding a spot to promote it.
"I take so much Advil I feel like I should have a logo on my bag," Kim said. "Maybe I'll talk to [management agency] IMG about that."
Kim has had a myriad of injuries over the past couple of years, most notably a nagging shoulder injury and now a detached ligament in his left thumb that causes pain at impact and will eventually require surgery.
"I'm sucking it up and going for it," Kim said. "You play hurt sometimes. I'm going to do my best to keep playing and see what happens."
Kim certainly isn't posting the results of someone who is playing hurt.
He earned his third PGA Tour win at the Shell Houston Open four weeks ago, finished third at the Masters with a closing 7-under-par 65 that included a 5-under stretch on holes 13 through 16, and finished second in early March at the Honda Classic.
He's third on the PGA Tour in FedEx Cup points and third in earnings with more than $2.34 million earned, and he has played in only seven of the tour's first 16 events.
"I need to take care of it when the time is right, but I'm playing so well right now I don't want to give that chance up," Kim said.
He first began to feel pain in his thumb about 16 months ago, and said a ligament is now detached between his left thumb and index finger. He takes Advil just about every morning.
"I'm just trying to stay on an even keel as far as my attitude [about the injury], and once I get done I just ice it and take some Advil and just try to make it through another round," Kim said. "I'm just trying to get as many tournaments in as I can before I take care of it."
Doctors have told Kim the recovery from surgery will likely take between two and three months. "But there's no way to know for sure," Kim said.
Kim is wrestling with his deep-seeded desire to play on his second U.S. Ryder Cup Team, but also to continue playing while he's scoring well and play in the tour's four majors. He may try to make it through the rest of the season before surgery, but that would risk his Ryder Cup participation if the thumb and his play deteriorate.
"Ryder Cup is real special to me. We have four majors a year and one Ryder Cup every two years," Kim said. "It was probably one of the greatest moments I've had playing golf, or greatest weeks I've had playing golf, playing for the U.S. [in 2008]. But at the same time I want to play in all the majors too, so in golf there's not really a good time to take off."
His decision could come down to how well he plays this week and next week at the Players Championship. Two good weeks and he may have enough Ryder Cup points to be comfortably on the team.
"If I go ahead and play good these next couple weeks, I should take care of it and then it gives me a little bit more leeway to go take care of what I need to," he said.
If history and Kim's affection for Quail Hollow are any indication, Kim will play well this week. His first of three PGA Tour wins came at Quail Hollow in his sophomore season on tour in 2008, he tied for fifth in his first appearance in 2007 and tied for 47th last year when he was derailed by a 78 in the third round.
Kim played in South Korea last week and endured an 18-hour trip from Korea to Charlotte, including a 131/2-hour flight to Atlanta, layover and connecting flight to Charlotte in order to arrive at Quail Hollow on Tuesday.
"I talked with my team and there was no way I was missing this tournament," Kim said. "This is one of my favorite tournaments, whether I won in '08 or not. ... Everything about this place is very special to me, and obviously winning here in 2008, my first win on tour, I dreamed about that my whole life. I'll always be back here."
Kim said the swing flaws that inevitably accompany compensation for an injury and the fear of aggravating the injury with a full swing have already come and he's well on his way to working them out.
"My game is getting better. I'm improving without my best stuff," Kim said. "Right now I may not be hitting it great but I'm scoring well. I want to nail down why I'm scoring so well and when I come back I'll have some key thoughts."
His run of success this season has come not only in spite of the injury, but also in spite of a wayward driver. Though driving accuracy has never been his strength, Kim has been missing fairways by wide margins and is 161st on tour in driving accuracy.
"I feel like my driver has straightened out, which was unbelievable Houston week and Masters week," Kim said. "I haven't hit it that bad with a driver, and I haven't had that little confidence with that club in my entire life.
"It was a tough stretch, but I played great and I'm thinking well out there. I have a good attitude and with a driver that goes somewhat straight and the rest of my game the way it is, I should have a good week."