Strong work ethic points Kim in right direction

July 7, 2008

BETHESDA, Md. — Mark O’Meara saw the change in Anthony Kim seven months ago when he barely knew him.

Kim had finished his rookie year on the PGA Tour with only a reputation, and not the kind a 22-year-old needed. No one questioned his talent, only his temper. He often spoke without thinking, and he spent more time soaking up the night life than working on his day job.

They were teammates in the Merrill Lynch Shootout last December, and before they could get through the introductions, Kim told O’Meara that he had made some mistakes and needed some advice.

“I just conveyed to Anthony, ‘You’ve got as much talent or more than any other player I’ve ever seen besides Tiger.’ And I believe that,” O’Meara said earlier this year. “I’m not trying to put pressure on him, and I told him that. I laid it out for him. ‘Unless you don’t like money and you don’t want to win tournaments, then maybe you continue down that other road.’

“He could win multiple tournaments a year, easily, and win major championships. That’s how talented he is.”

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