Christina Kim's On-Course Antics Rub Some People Wrong

It was a big weekend for women's golf. The United States defeated Europe in the Solheim Cup, but more than that, Michelle Wie finally played up to her potential. She was 3-0-1, the best among her teammates, and was loose, smiling and having fun while doing it.

Maybe a break from her overprotective parents had something to do with it. Or perhaps it was her Saturday fourball partner, Christina Kim, who helped keep things light. Whatever, the LPGA will be forever grateful if Wie emerges as the face of the tour.

That story has yet to write itself. In the meantime, the news out of Europe in the aftermath of the Solheim Cup has to do with Kim's on-course antics. Depending on your perspective, her actions were somewhere between slightly distracting to Happy Gilmore-tastic. I watched parts of the telecast over the weekend and I tend to think it was more the latter.

That's not to say there isn't a place for emotions in golf -- in fact, that's exactly what the sport needs, more players who don't robotically go through the motions and consequently bore viewers into comas -- but you can also overdo it.

At the 1999 Ryder Cup, Justin Leonard drained a 45-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole of his Sunday's singles match with José María Olazábal to help seal one of the most miraculous comebacks in golf history. Leonard, possibly more shocked than anyone that the putt dropped, went bonkers, running around the green as Olazábal waited to putt.

Was Leonard out of line, at least in terms of his gentlemanly responsibilities to the game? Yeah, sure, but his actions were spontaneous, fueled by adrenaline and the enormity of that one moment. The guy's allowed to cut loose.

But Kim, who's known for her excitable on-course persona, played the entire tournament like she was hooked up to a Red Bull IV. Look, I'm all for team spirit, but at some point it goes beyond that. I don't think it took away from the event, but it was distracting. There are worse things, I suppose.

Either way, GolfDigest's John Huggan wasn't impressed.

One other lowlight -- at least some of the time -- was the behavior of Christina Kim. The extrovert American clearly has a big heart and a kind heart given her obvious affinity and loud interaction with the spectators. But there is a line that must never be crossed with this sort of thing. And, at the risk of being portrayed as a bit of a fuddy-duddy, it must be pointed out that Kim, on occasion, veers into a place where opponents are -- however inadvertently -- treated with something less than proper respect. The time to gee up crowds is between holes, not while a competitive situation exists.

In general, I would agree with Huggan -- he's being a fuddy duddy -- but as I watched the coverage this weekend I couldn't ignore Kim. She was in your face whether it was to work the ropes after every shot or raise the roof or have Wie slap her ass after Saturday's impromptu post-match shimmy on the 18th green.

In Kim's defense, she's different, and in golf, that can sometimes be a good thing. And although it's a bit much at times, she points out on Twitter that her behavior was never "discourteous." Not sure her opponents would always agree with the sentiment, but at least she's not morose and petulant.

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Solheim Cup Photos

SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Michelle Wie and Christina Kim of the USA with the trophy after the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup Matches, at the Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Ilinois (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michelle Wie;Christina Kim

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Solheim Cup Photos

SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: The Solheim Cup Trophy at the 2009 Solheim Cup Matches, at the Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Ilinois (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

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SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Christina Kim of the USA with the trophy after the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup Matches, at the Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Ilinois (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Christina Kim

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SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Morgan Pressel of the U.S. Team chips onto the green on the 16th hole during the Sunday singles matches in 2at Rich Harvest Farms on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Illinois. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Morgan Pressel

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SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Laura Davies of England and the European Team on the tee at the 1st hole during the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup Matches, at the Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Ilinois (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Laura Davies

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SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: John Solheim the CEO and President of Karsten Manufacturing Company (back left) with his brother Alan Solheim with (sitting left to right) Louise Suggs (founder member of the LPGA), Louise Solheim (wife of Karsten Solheim the founder of the Ping golf company) and Shirley Spork (founder member of the LPGA) on the 1st tee during the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup Matches, at the Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Ilinois (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** John Solheim;Alan Solheim;Louise Suggs;louise Solheim;Shirley Spork

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SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: European fans on the 1st tee during the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup Matches, at the Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Ilinois (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

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SUGAR GROVE, IL - AUGUST 23: Michelle wie and Paula Creamer encourage fellow team members on the 18th hole during the Sunday singles matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup Matches, at the Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club on August 23, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Ilinois (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Paula Creamer;Michelle Wie

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