Go Anthony Kim

by Helen Ross / PGATour.com

Anthony Kim withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard on Wednesday due to the flu.

Kim, who is ranked No. 14 in the world, would have been playing at Bay Hill for the first time in his career.

“I am very disappointed to have had to withdraw from the Arnold Palmer Invitational,” Kim said. “I was looking forward to playing in this tournament for the first time, and am very appreciative of the medical assistance that Mr. Palmer, tournament director Scott Wellington, and the rest of the tournament staff arranged for me this week, as I tried to get myself to the point where I could play.

“I will return to Dallas to recuperate and continue my preparation for the Masters.”

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The Sports Network

Anthony Kim, currently ranked 12th in the world, has committed to play the 2009 Exelon Invitational, joining tournament host Jim Furyk at the ACE Club in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania.

This year’s event will take place Monday, June 8th. Kim is the first player to commit. The remainder of the field will be announced at a later date. This year will be the 11th time Furyk has hosted the one-day tournament.

Kim is coming off an outstanding 2008 season in which he compiled eight top-10s to go along with his first two PGA Tour titles at the Wachovia Championship and the AT&T National.

“Anthony is one of the top young stars on tour today,” Furyk said. “Last year, he finished fourth in the FedEx Cup standings. His energy and exuberant personality will be very popular with the Philadelphia fans.”

Furyk, who ranks 11th in the latest world rankings, posted nine top-10s last season, including three straight in the final three FedEx Cup events to close out the 2008 season.

He has two top-10s already this year, with them coming in the season’s first two World Golf Championships events. He shared ninth at the Accenture Match Play and finished third behind Phil Mickelson over the weekend at the CA Championship.

Last year, K.J. Choi and Aaron Baddeley won the Exelon Invitational, 3 & 1 over Furyk and Steve Stricker. The event has used the four-ball format since moving to the ACE Club in 2006.

Other past participants include Mickelson, John Daly, Sergio Garcia, Retief Goosen, Padraig Harrington, Davis Love III, Adam Scott and Vijay Singh.

Since its inception, the tournament has raised over $1 million for charity, some of which benefits the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia.

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Nike launched a new TV commercial called The Good Life just before Tiger’s return two weeks ago at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. Several Nike sponsored players appear in the spot including Trevor Immelman, Stewart Cink, Justin Leonard and Anthony Kim. It’s pretty funny…

Watch the commercial

USA Today

DORAL, Fla. — Anthony Kim added a lion to his swoosh.

Kim, who won his first two PGA Tour events last year and is ranked 11th in the world heading into this week’s World Golf Championships-CA Championship at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa, announced Tuesday that he signed a multiyear deal with the Royal Bank of Canada.

As part of the arrangement, Kim will play annually in the RBC Canadian Open and will have RBC’s signage, which includes a logo of a lion, on his golf bag. The famous Nike swoosh will still be on his shirts, shoes, hat, gloves and golf clubs.

RBC is the largest financial institution in Canada, the fourth largest in North America and the 10th largest in the world.

Kim’s case is unusual because Nike generally wants clients to have the swoosh on the cap, shirt, shoes and the golf bag. The exceptions are Tiger Woods (AT&T on the bag) and Michelle Wie (Sony on the bag). “I’m just grateful Nike allowed me to branch out,” Kim said.

Kim expects his game to branch out soon. After he finished second in the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship, the 23-year-old’s game has taken a drop. He missed the cut at the FBR Open in Phoenix, tied for 33rd at the Malaysian Open, tied for 25th in the Johnnie Walker Classic in Australia and lost in the second round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

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