The Loop

Allenby and Kim: No Love Lost

October 12, 2009

There were rumors about Anthony Kim's behavior floating around at the Presidents Cup, including one that had Fred Couples close to sending the 24-year-old star of last year's Ryder Cup home for his attitude at a team dinner. But one scene at the end of a four-ball match Saturday at Harding Park spoke about how far Kim had come in a matter of days. That was when Couples pulled Kim close and attempted to plant a kiss on his player's face. It made for great TV, especially when Kim pushed his captain away, but it earned young Anthony one of the autographed Michael Jordan jerseys Couples was handing out on a daily basis -- and a Sunday pairing against Robert Allenby.

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Their match was inconsequential, but Kim used it to put the exclamation point in a 3-1 week that raised his two-year record in Cup competition to 5-2-1. Fist-pumping his away around the course, Kim looked like the player who took out Sergio Garcia in last year's Ryder Cup, 5 and 4 -- but who has been largely absent throughout 2009.

After whipping Allenby just as impressively, 5 and 3, Kim left the press conference, hat on backward, with an eye toward celebrating. Instead, he was asked in the parking lot about accusations Allenby had made minutes earlier to a group of reporters -- that Kim was out partying in the early-morning hours before their 9:43 a.m. starting time.

Asked if he was out until 4 a.m., as Allenby alluded, Kim kept his composure, as he had on the course during the day. "Absolutely false," he said. "I was at the hotel, had dinner with the team, met my buddies for about 20 minutes, then went straight to my room. I was in tip-top shape. If Robert had that to say, he maybe needs to practice a little more."

*-- Tim Rosaforte