Rising golf star Anthony Kim tees off. Photo by Global Voyager

As the PGA Tour season heads into another year, professional golfers from all over the world will put their skills to the test against some of the most challenging courses on the planet. Courses such as Pebble Beach, Torrey Pines, and Agusta will play host to several tour stops where the world’s best will compete for money, glory, and golf’s most coveted prize: the green jacket.

As this year’s competitors take the stage, which one will rise to the top and fill the void left in the wake of Tiger Woods’ unflattering disappearance from the game?

With veteran players like Phil Mickelson, Zach Johnson, and Padrig Harrington rounding out the top spots in the 2010 rankings, it seems apparent that the next “Tiger Woods” will certainly not have the title handed to them. It will take hard work and flawless execution to rise to the challenge in the absence of the world’s former #1 golfer, and it is not all about skill.

Who will carry himself like Tiger? Who will entertain like Tiger? Who will inspire like Tiger? Who will be the next to bring the game of golf to the next level, or to make men, women, and children alike fall in love with one of the world’s purest sports? It may be too early to tell, but sports fans are ready to speculate about who will rise to the top and shed light upon the shadow that has been cast over professional golf.

I have heard the names of players like Phil Mickelson or Padrig Harrington thrown around in clubhouse conversations. Some have suggested that Steve Stricker may take the top spot, but he is already showing signs of decline this season. This year’s field is full of great players, but it is not too great of a stretch to say that Anthony Kim could very well be the next Tiger.

Kim, 23, is one of the youngest players on the tour. He is not yet at his peak, but he is still beating the world’s best, when he’s healthy. In the 2009 season Kim suffered an injury just as the competition started to heat up. Kim would miss the majority of the Tour’s stops while he nursed himself back to health. Despite missing several tournaments, Kim came back better than ever winning the Wachovia Championship at Quil Hollow Golf Club in North Carolina by five strokes and smashing the competition that consisted of many of the top 15 players in the world. Kim was the youngest player to do so in just over six years. Kim’s play so far in his short career has showed that he has talent and can hang with the Tour veterans – but skill alone does not make a player great.

Tiger's sudden disappearance from golf leaves the summit of the sport up for grabs. Photo by annais

Kim is young and is a real crowd favorite at times (more now than ever with Tiger away from the game) and his famously displayed emotion makes him a great motivator to fans and gives him a  personality that his competition can not match – and there’s no doubt about it, personality is exactly what the fans want.

Anthony Kim is a nearly perfect mixture of personality, skill, and character. His actions on the golf course prove his skill and determination as well as his love for the game. Will Kim be the next Tiger Woods? We’ll just have to wait and see.