Even at the peak of Tiger Woods’ powers, the golfing world was searching for his heir.
Woods dominated the sport like no one we have ever seen, taking golf to a new stratosphere of global popularity. But significant concerns remain about what happens when the greatest golfer of all time is no longer around.
The PGA Tour wrestled with this for the better part of a decade, until Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau’s feud relit a spark in the sport’s popularity. But back in 2008, Woods’ former coach, Butch Harmon, thought he’d found golf’s next superstar.
Butch Harmon said Anthony Kim was the ‘future of golf’
It looked like Anthony Kim would take the golfing world by storm back in 2008. In his second year as a pro, he won twice on the PGA Tour at just 23. Kim’s early career was so impressive that he convinced Harmon he was the future of the PGA Tour.
He told the Guardian in 2008, “This kid is the future of golf on the PGA Tour. I like his golf game, I like his confidence, and I like the fact that he has come out on tour and contended straight away, just like he said he would. It ain’t bragging if you can back it up.”
Harmon wasn’t the only one who bought into Kim’s talent. One of Woods’ old friends and rivals, Mark O’Meara, said that Woods is the only player he’s ever seen that was more talented than Kim.
He even went as far as to say that Kim’s swing was better than Woods. He said, “I see a lot of talented young players. Nothing really jumped out at me until I played with this kid. I was like, whoa, this guy has got some game because he plays the little shots.
“He wants to win. He has got as much talent as, or more than, any other player I’ve ever seen besides Tiger. At 22 I think Tiger’s mental game was probably stronger. Technique-wise, swing-wise, I reckon his swing is better at 21, 22 than what Tiger’s was.”
Kim was projected for greatness, but unfortunately his story became something of a “what if?”
After peaking at No. 6 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Kim’s career derailed due to a severe string of injuries. He suffered an Achilles tendon injury in 2012, alongside multiple surgeries on his shoulder, hand, and spine.
Kim’s struggles with drug and alcohol addiction also played a deeply destructive role in both his initial downfall and his 12-year absence from the sport. While physical injuries initially forced him off the PGA Tour in 2012, his substance abuse heavily compounded his problems behind the scenes.
Kim is now 41, with three PGA Tour wins and an incredible comeback victory on LIV Golf this year. He’s now got his life back together, but his career promised so much more.