Loud and proud - On The Tee: Christina Kim

[Gxgolfer]

By Ron Kaspriske

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If teenagers Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel offer a glimpse of the future of women's golf from tee to green, then Kim is the ringleader of a movement to take the starch out of the LPGA. Whether it's wearing wild outfits, telling risqué jokes or standing over a made putt like she just sacked a quarterback, Kim brings sparkle to an organization steeped in subdued tones.

"I'm definitely something the tour needs," says Kim, of Korean descent but born in San Jose, Calif. "I'm a breath of fresh air."

A breath? More like a gale. Kim, who dropped out of high school (she eventually got her diploma) to pursue a pro career, crept onto the LPGA in 2003 after two years on the Futures Tour. She won her first LPGA event last year--the Longs Drugs Challenge--and has four top-10 finishes in 2005. Kim says she's still developing her game, but you can forget about her personality changing.

[Debit]

She is truely enjoyable to watch! How much more enjoyable to watch someone play who is obviously (and loudly) enjoying themselves. Perhaps its the everyman in each of us that relates to the boisterous enjoyment of a Christina Kim, John Daly, Fuzzy Zoeller, Dotty Pepper, or Helen Alfredson. Certainly, the tour players have to focus and concentrate because its their job and livelihood. Retief Goosen and Davis Love III are tremendously talented players -- but my gosh watching them play on TV is about as exciting as watching the proverbial paint dry. Tiger is explosive and does things that no one else on the planet is capable of -- must see TV. Since Annika has been practicing more with him, she too has become somewhat of a magician around the green -- but this is the new Annika. You may recall that she had been dubbed, Robo Swede prior to Colonial, when all of that changed. Well, Christina is Christina and always has been. No subdued little wall flower this! She's fun and she's got real game.

[Debit]

What fun this weekend watching the Mitchell! We were able to watch the full Christina because she was in the final groups. I will admit that I was pulling for Heather to repeat, but was excited to be able to watch all of the women who finished in the top 10. Great golf. I'm really looking forward to the ADT this week. The Mitchell field is kinda hooky since it includes winners for 3 years. The ADT is much more of a challenging field since it's the current top money winners -- the likelihood is that it will prove to be a battle royal; unless Annika comes out with her A game and struts mercilessly through the field.

[Gxgolfer]

An emotional Christina Kim is congratulated by Kathy Ireland after winning the LPGA Tournament of Champions at Magnolia Grove Golf Course Sunday Nov. 13, 2005, in Mobile, Ala. Ireland's company, Kathy Ireland World Wide was the tournament's presenting sponsor. (AP Photo/Chip English)

 

Christina Kim holds up the trophy Sunday. Nov. 13, 2005, after winning the LPGA Tournament of Champions at Magnolia Grove Golf Course in Mobile, Ala. .(AP Photo/Chip English)

 

Christina Kim does a dance as she gets a hug from her caddie, and her father, Man after winning LPGA Tournament of Champions at Magnolia Grove Golf Course in Mobile, Ala. Sunday, Nov. 13, 2005.(AP Photo/Chip English)

[Sam-Tee-Time]

She is truely enjoyable to watch! How much more enjoyable to watch someone play who is obviously (and loudly) enjoying themselves. Perhaps its the everyman in each of us that relates to the boisterous enjoyment of a Christina Kim, John Daly, Fuzzy Zoeller, Dotty Pepper, or Helen Alfredson...........................

 

Well.........I agree to a certain extent, but I'm still undecided about Kim. I realize she's a wonderful golfer, but whenever I see her, this picture comes to mind, of the 2005 Solehim Cup awards ceremony. Here is the text from Christina Kim's comments to a reporter, after the Solheim cup win:

 

 

"No doubt, I can't even put to words what I'm feeling right now. I lost my voice. I've gained so much just spirit and love from all of these people here, and especially on a day like today, just to remember all the people that we lost in 9/11, to know that we can take that Cup and represent our country, and do it with pride and grace and class, it's unbelievable."

 

Is "pride and grace and class" what you think of when you see this picture? Not me. :dntknw:

[matt411]

She is truely enjoyable to watch! How much more enjoyable to watch someone play who is obviously (and loudly) enjoying themselves. Perhaps its the everyman in each of us that relates to the boisterous enjoyment of a Christina Kim, John Daly, Fuzzy Zoeller, Dotty Pepper, or Helen Alfredson...........................

 

Well.........I agree to a certain extent, but I'm still undecided about Kim. I realize she's a wonderful golfer, but whenever I see her, this picture comes to mind, of the 2005 Solehim Cup awards ceremony. Here is the text from Christina Kim's comments to a reporter, after the Solheim cup win:

 

 

"No doubt, I can't even put to words what I'm feeling right now. I lost my voice. I've gained so much just spirit and love from all of these people here, and especially on a day like today, just to remember all the people that we lost in 9/11, to know that we can take that Cup and represent our country, and do it with pride and grace and class, it's unbelievable."

 

Is "pride and grace and class" what you think of when you see this picture? Not me. :dntknw:

 

If Morgan Pressel or MW would come out and say, "I'm a breath of fresh air," there would be 45 responses already about how much of an egotistical bi@#h she is. Could you imagine the negative media a man would get if he said that?? or licked the ryder cup??

[Debit]

Don't attribute the "breath of fresh air" to the golfer -- whether Kim or Pressel or Creamer. That comes from the commentators or perhaps other players. Only Ali was nuts enough to proclaim, "I'm the greatest." The best, or worst, you will hear from any of the top players on either tour is their personal goal of being #1 ... or at least of being in contention with Tiger or Annika. And yes, Creamer and Kim and the other players who comport themselves as though they actually "enjoyed" the game and are having fun out there -- those players are a breath of fresh air and something that the LGPA, especially, has needed. You can admire a Ben Hogan or the pre-Colonial Annika, but they were hardly one's first choice among "who would like to have a drink with?" But lots of folk would chose to hoist one with Zoeller, Jacobsen, Mickelson, Carner, Kim, Creamer, Couples, or Alfredson simply because those players appear to be friendly and a whole lot of fun.

[PGMlady]

She is truely enjoyable to watch! How much more enjoyable to watch someone play who is obviously (and loudly) enjoying themselves. Perhaps its the everyman in each of us that relates to the boisterous enjoyment of a Christina Kim, John Daly, Fuzzy Zoeller, Dotty Pepper, or Helen Alfredson...........................

 

Well.........I agree to a certain extent, but I'm still undecided about Kim. I realize she's a wonderful golfer, but whenever I see her, this picture comes to mind, of the 2005 Solehim Cup awards ceremony. Here is the text from Christina Kim's comments to a reporter, after the Solheim cup win:

 

 

"No doubt, I can't even put to words what I'm feeling right now. I lost my voice. I've gained so much just spirit and love from all of these people here, and especially on a day like today, just to remember all the people that we lost in 9/11, to know that we can take that Cup and represent our country, and do it with pride and grace and class, it's unbelievable."

 

Is "pride and grace and class" what you think of when you see this picture? Not me. :drinks:

 

She's symbolizing the taste of victory :dntknw:

[mr_duffer]

I dig watching her. Its akin to watching a wreck as you pass by in your car. You gotta look...you know you shouldn't because you might see something that gives you a full body shiver...but you just gotta look.

 

:dntknw: :drinks: :wave:

That is so funny, but oh so true!

[Golf_Beauty]

She is truely enjoyable to watch! How much more enjoyable to watch someone play who is obviously (and loudly) enjoying themselves. Perhaps its the everyman in each of us that relates to the boisterous enjoyment of a Christina Kim, John Daly, Fuzzy Zoeller, Dotty Pepper, or Helen Alfredson...........................

 

Well.........I agree to a certain extent, but I'm still undecided about Kim. I realize she's a wonderful golfer, but whenever I see her, this picture comes to mind, of the 2005 Solehim Cup awards ceremony. Here is the text from Christina Kim's comments to a reporter, after the Solheim cup win:

 

 

"No doubt, I can't even put to words what I'm feeling right now. I lost my voice. I've gained so much just spirit and love from all of these people here, and especially on a day like today, just to remember all the people that we lost in 9/11, to know that we can take that Cup and represent our country, and do it with pride and grace and class, it's unbelievable."

 

Is "pride and grace and class" what you think of when you see this picture? Not me. :dntknw:

 

 

That's was makes Christina Kim Christina Kim. You just have to love her. She's not pretentious in the least and speaks her mind. She's got a heart as big as Texas and brings excitement and a verve to the LPGA that it was sorely lacking. Here are a few quotes from fellow LPGAers in Golf For Women magazine:

 

"I wish I had a little bit of that [free-spiritedness] in me," admits Karrie Webb.

 

Grace Park adds, "She brings so much charisma and excitement. We need more of that out here."

 

Television analyst Judy Rankin is amused by Kim's "refreshing" craziness. "She's good for the game," says Rankin. "She is carried away by her emotions a little bit--I think she talks to the grass once in a while. But her enthusiasm and love of the game is genuine; it's young-woman, good-natured, happy-to-be-alive stuff."

 

Regardless of what you [the critics] may think of her, she's getting the respect and admiration of her peers. And TONS of support from her fans.

[Placebo]

I think it would of been better if she did it with this trophy:

 

Seriously though I think she is great!