Was Anthony Kim as Good as Tiger Woods? Career of the Most Celebrated Cameo in Golf’s History Explored

Anthony Kim broke many hearts when he chose to leave the game of golf without even saying goodbye. More than a decade later, the “golf yeti” is all set to make his comeback. But before going on a wild goose chase in the event of his less-expected return, it is important to explore if he was as good as was promised or if it was all just a mere overestimation.

After all, the golf world almost committed a sacrilege at the time and called him as good as Tiger Woods. So was he really that good? In a context where Woods has made a comeback after a long hiatus and is currently working on his game, and where Anthony Kim is choosing which golf camp to go ahead with, it’s important to find out if the golf world really stands at a crossroads on the matter or not.

Uncovering the truth behind the Woods-Kim comparison

Being compared to the 82-time PGA Tour winner is truly a compliment that not many get in the golf world. Luckily for the Asian American sensation, it was even estimated by some that he could overthrow the ruling Tiger Woods and take over his crown in the golf world.

However, call it destiny or a simple poise of choice, Anthony Kim’s life did not play out as was expected by the golf fraternity at the time. But it’s human nature to question: What if? What if it did work out? Would Anthony Kim have emerged as a force alike or even better than Tiger Woods?

Well, a sweep look through their opening years would reveal that while Kim finished as a runner up once in  2006, his initial year as a pro, Woods’s first year playing as a pro (in 1996) fetched him two wins and five top-10 finishes. The latter had played eight events in his inaugural year, as opposed to the former’s two official events.

Even though, Kim did not have a debutant year as strong as Woods, the timing was to his benefit. In the years that Kim was climbing the ladders of success, the Tiger of the Golf Jungle was thrown back several steps due to the personal life problems that came his way.

Talking about his finesse, Rocky Hambric, a former agent of the University of Oklahoma graduate said, “His talent was beyond anything I had ever seen before. And I know it’s sacrilege, but that includes Tiger Woods.”

It was not just his agent but also Nike that possibly saw this and signed him to a multimillion-dollar contract. But why? After all, a comparison of their debutant years suggests that Kim did not have a first year as strong as Woods’s.

This is because, in order to arrive at a fair judgment of the possibilities that the now-38-year-old could’ve had if he had not been overtaken by the wrath of injuries, necessitates a thorough examination of what transpired next.

Diving deeper into Anthony Kim’s career wins and achievements

After securing five top-10 finishes in 2006 and 2007 combined, Anthony Kim registered two wins in 2008, along with one runner-up finish, and placed himself as a force to be reckoned with. Even after being in his initial years as a pro, he was already on his way to golfing greatness, a similar saga that Woods once sang.

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His first two wins had a difference of just two months. The year 2008 was a merry one for Kim as he named eight top-10 finishes, $4.7 million in earnings from his wins, and a lot of acknowledgment from fans, unlike Woods who struggled on one leg.

It was believed that by his second year, Kim was already operating like a veteran. The year 2009 fetched him one runner-up finish and three top-10 finishes. What followed was his one win in 2010 at the Shell Houston Open, which also became his last. In his limited years as an active pro, he named a total of three wins to himself. The way he aced the greens despite being in an injury spiral made him a power-packed threat to his competitors.

Talking about the feeling of adoration that fans gave him after his Ryder Cup success in 2008, his magical year, Kim once said, “I wouldn’t trade this for $10 million.” But why $10 million, you may ask? Well, that was the amount that his injury insurance would fetch.

Eventually, the injured estimated Tiger Woods successor had to give in to the demands of his body and take an over-extended leave of absence.

As he takes steps towards his return, while age is still on his side, it would be interesting to see what he can achieve in the coming years.

What do you think is next for Anthony Kim? Share your views in the comments below.

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