Quail Hollow features two defending champs this week
By T.J. Auclair, PGATOUR.COM Interactive Producer
For a tournament that doesn't have a whole lot of history -- just six years -- the Quail Hollow Championship sure is a special stop on the PGA TOUR, almost a mini major. At least with the course setup, the stellar field it attracts and the atmosphere, it has a major-type feel.
Check out the list of champions since the tournament began in 2003: David Toms ('03); Joey Sindelar ('04); Vijay Singh ('05); Jim Furyk ('06); Tiger Woods ('07); and Anthony Kim ('08).
Now tell me that Quail Hollow isn't a place that produces great champions.
As if there wasn't enough excitement about the TOUR heading back to Charlotte this week, it's as if it hits the Queen City with two defending champions.
One, of course, is Kim. In 2008, the young superstar notched his maiden win at Quail Hollow and his career took off, evidenced by another win two months later at AT&T National, an incredible performance in the U.S. Ryder Cup team victory at Valhalla and a fourth-place finish in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, highlighted by a pair of tie-for-third finishes at the BMW Championship and THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola.
The other defending champ this week, if you will, is Woods. After all, he wasn't able to defend in 2008 because of the initial knee surgery that put him out of commission post-Masters until that never-to-be-forgotten U.S. Open week.
While Woods was on the sidelines, Kim was racking up an impressive resume. Did it help that Tiger was absent? Sure it did. But, who didn't that help?
The thing about the 23-year-old Kim, or "A.K." as he's known, is that the breakthrough at Quail Hollow wasn't a huge surprise. Ever since he hit the scene in 2006 with a tie for second at the Valero Texas Open -- his first start on the PGA TOUR -- Kim has had all the promise in the world.
An admitted lack of maturity early on proved detrimental to the young A.K., who quickly realized life on the PGA TOUR wasn't as easy as just showing up every week and contending for a win.
As A.K.'s partying ways simmered down, his game excelled. And that's not to say he's not having fun anymore. The difference these days is that A.K. knows when and when not to hit the "fun" button.
All of that brings us back to 2008, where it could be argued that aside from Padraig Harrington -- and maybe Vijay Singh and Camilo Villegas very late in the season -- no player prospered more than Kim in the absence of golf's biggest star.
Kim wasn't just good in the two tournaments he won, but he was incredibly consistent throughout the season, notching five other top-10 finishes.
Because of the rise to stardom and the around-the-world travels that have come with it, A.K. is off to a slow start on the PGA TOUR in 2009. OK, he did finish in a tie for second at the Mercedes-Benz Championship; recorded a record 11 birdies for a 7-under 65 in the second round of the Masters -- 10 shots better than the 75 he shot in the first round; and has missed the cut just once in six starts. But, the consistency is lacking. There have also been a couple of minor injuries that haven't helped matters.
Tiger on the other hand... what can you say? He's still the unattainable standard he's been since turning pro in 1996. In three stroke-play events -- the World Golf Championships-CA Championship, the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard and the Masters -- Tiger has finished in a tie for ninth, won and tied for sixth, respectively.
Because of that small sample to go along with years of history, we have a pretty good idea as to what Tiger will bring to the table at Quail Hollow.
We expect nothing less than to see him contending for win No. 67 on Sunday.
The same can't exactly be said for A.K., who's still trying to rediscover that contending consistency. But, you've got to think that Quail Hollow -- the site of his first TOUR win -- is going to stir up the good vibes.
Not that the rest of the field is filled out with a bunch of slouches, but for my money, a picture perfect week at Quail Hollow would end with the dual defending champs dueling it out down the stretch.
Few things would be more exciting than having A.K. and Tiger in the thick of it when it counts most.
T.J. Auclair is a columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.
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