Kim answers call
BETHESDA, Md. – Anthony Kim is on the cusp of joining the short list of challengers to Tiger Woods, a point driven home Sunday not so much by his victory at the AT&T National as the phone call he received from the tournament host.
Woods wasn’t at Congressional to present the trophy, but he surely would have appreciated Kim’s performance. After a week of mistakes that held him back, Kim unleashed a bogey-free round of 5-under 65 for a two-shot victory over Fredrik Jacobson.
Kim became the first American under 25 since Woods to win at least twice in the same year on the PGA Tour.
“He told me to just keep working hard and keep it up, and the sky’s the limit, and there’s no reason to stop now,” Kim said of his call from Woods, who was home in Florida recovering from knee surgery.
Even more valuable was what he learned from Woods late last season at the BMW Championship.
Kim showed up at Cog Hill with enough time to wolf down a breakfast burrito, rap a few putts and go to the first tee. He noticed that Woods, scheduled to tee off 11 minutes ahead of him, had been on the course for some time getting ready for the round.
Woods wound up winning the tournament. Kim finished 22 shots behind.
“That was quite a low point in my golf career, to feel like I wasn’t doing myself justice to act that way and prepare that way,” Kim said. “I just took a step back and said, ‘If I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it the right way.’ And I’ve been doing it ever since.”
First came a five-shot victory at Quail Hollow in the Wachovia Championship. Equally impressive was how Kim steadied himself at Congressional, coming from three shots behind and building a four-shot lead on the back nine until a late charge by Jacobson.
“To win his golf tournament is amazing,” Kim said. “I idolized him growing up. It’s so surreal for me to be in this position.”
Kim might just be getting started.
He moved up to No. 6 in the Ryder Cup standings, virtually assuring himself a spot on the American team in September. Even if he doesn’t qualify, captain Paul Azinger said he wants the hot hand, and not many are playing better than Kim.
Kim also joined some elite company. In the last 10 years, the only other players under 25 with multiple PGA Tour victories in the same season are Woods, Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott.
Kim finished at 12-under 268 and earned $1.08 million, putting him at No. 5 in the FedEx Cup standings and moving him closer to cracking the top 10 in the world.
Jacobson birdied four straight holes to close the gap, but had to settle for a par on the 18th hole that came with a consolation prize.
He earned a trip to the British Open as the highest finisher among the top 5 at the AT&T National not already exempt.
Tommy Armour III closed with a 69 and was among six players who tied for third at 271.
Dean Wilson, whose 67 put him in the group tied for third, played with Kim in the final round and saw a bright future.
“Awesome,” Wilson said. “Very confident, very aggressive the way he plays. He’s always shooting at the pins, and it’s pretty good.”