Two young stars strive to stay in the moment, and in contention

text size

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- One is known for his signature "AK" belt buckles. The other favors the more complete ensemble of form-fitting J. Lindeberg attire.

But it's hardly fashion sense that has two of the PGA TOUR's most talented young players in contention at the Wachovia Championship. No, it's the common sense Anthony Kim and Camilo Villegas displayed as they took a hard look at their games.

Lecka/WireImage

After a successful rookie campaign in 2007, Anthony Kim is looking for more.

Kim, who is 7 under after a 67 on Friday at Quail Hollow Club, knew he needed to be more patient, both on and off the course. Villegas, on the other hand, wants to have more fun, and the 70 he shot in the second round had the young Colombian smiling, just two strokes behind Kim, with both players in great shape going into the weekend.

Kim bypassed his senior year at Oklahoma and finished second in his first TOUR event as a pro. As a rookie last year he had the reputation of being cocky, but advice from Mark O'Meara and Jeff Sluman, among others, has helped Kim temper his behavior.

"I'm starting to learn," Kim said. "I'm still not there. I have a long way to go. But I'm definitely doing a lot better in that department. I learn every round I play.

"I feel like last year it was all a blur, and I didn't learn that much on the golf course. Now I'm starting to learn what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong out there, and it's helping me tremendously."

In retrospect, Kim says his early success as a pro may have given the three-time All-American the impression that life on TOUR was going to be easy. The $1.5 million he earned -- allowing him to buy houses in Texas and California -- was a big-time security blanket, too.

"I just realized I wasn't putting in the time, and to play against the best players in the world, you have to do that," Kim said. "I think if I practice hard, anything is possible. So I guess I was talking a little bit more than I was practicing when I needed to be practicing.

"So this year I've changed that and I'm going to keep riding that wave."

Kim also got a reality check three weeks ago when his girlfriend stepped on a glass and partially severed one of the muscles in her foot. Kim calls the incident "probably the scariest thing I've ever gone though. A triple bogey is not even so bad compared to that."

In fact, at last week's EDS Byron Nelson Championship when the Californian spoke about the accident, Kim said the accident "changed the way I look at everything now. It could have happened to any one of us in there, and it could have happened to me and ended my career.

Badz/PGA TOUR

Camilo Villegas is hopeful that by loosening up he can find his first TOUR win.

"I think it really did change my life."

Villegas is coming off a tie for seventh two weeks ago at the Verizon Heritage, where Kim contended on Sunday only to tie for second. The University of Florida graduate has been trying to enjoy himself more, rather than fidgeting over fundamentals and obsessing about results.

"Just free it up a little," Villegas explained. "Sometimes when you work so hard and try so hard, things become a little bit harder I think. Little things get in your way and (tick) you off. I'm just trying to loosen up a little bit.

"I remember when I was a little kid just having fun every time I go on the golf course. I guess I just have to find a balance point, and that's what I'm trying to do."

Villegas works with sports psychologist Gio Valiente. He said Valiente helped him keep "the positive in the equation" at Hilton Head when a new putter that had worked like a dream in the first round turned balky on Friday and Saturday. That Sunday, Villegas shot 30 on the front nine and "made every putt I looked at" on the way to a 67.

"It's funny," Villegas said. "The mental side of the game is so hard, but so simple. Sometimes you just get one little thought, any little thing, as stupid as it can be and you just stick to that thing and it works. Keeps you loose, keeps you focused, keeps you thinking the right stuff. And sometimes it doesn't matter how hard you try, things don't go the right way."

So far this week, both Kim and Villegas have managed their minds as well as they have perfected their swing planes.

A win by either player on Sunday would continue the trend of twentysomethings winning on the PGA TOUR. There have been seven already this year, including Adam Scott last week at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship, tying the total for all of 2007

The 22-year-old Kim and Villegas, who is 26, are both looking for their first TOUR victories. Two more solid rounds in the $6.3 million event could pave the way to the realization of a lifelong dream.

That would be getting ahead of yourself, though, which is something both players are trying to avoid.