Sports News
Kim Earns 2nd PGA Tour Win of Year
Anthony Kim was waiting by the scoring trailer for the other golfers to finish, his victory at Tiger Woods’ tournament, the AT&T National, seemingly well in hand.Suddenly, there was a pop. A muscular man had unleashed a champagne cork and was madly chasing Kim, trying to spray him with the bottle.
The man was former Green Beret and noted sports therapist Jim Weathers, who has spent this year working Kim’s muscles into shape before and after every round. Yet, when asked why his client is now one of the hottest young golfers on the tour, Weathers focused not on biceps but instead on partying.
“The guy’s staying in at night,” Weathers said. “He’s taking it very seriously.”
Kim couldn’t agree more. On Sunday, he became the first American under 25 since Woods to win at least twice in the same year on the PGA Tour, shooting a bogey-free round of 5-under 65 for a two-shot victory over Fredrik Jacobson.
“I think it’s easier to mature faster as a golfer, but definitely, as a person, I feel like I’ve come a long way,” said Kim, who turned 23 last month. “I’m making a lot better decisions off the course. I’m staying away from bad people and staying away from bad places.”
The victory moved Kim up to No. 6 in the Ryder Cup standings, virtually assuring himself a spot on the American team in September, and put him on a short list of potential challengers to Woods when the world’s top golfer returns from knee surgery.
Woods apparently concurs with that assessment. Unable to be at Congressional to present the trophy, he called Kim to offer congratulations.
“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.
Kim grew up idolizing Woods and learned a valuable lesson from him 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.”
Kim’s first win was a five-shot victory at Quail Hollow in the Wachovia Championship. Now he’s won at another marquee course, coming from three shots behind in the final round and building a four-shot lead on Congressional’s back nine until a late charge by Jacobson.
“He’s fearless,” Fred Funk said. “And he’s just got that arrogance, cocky attitude, that you need to have when he’s in the position that he’s in. And he’s got the game to back it up.”
It certainly took some degree of attitude to sport the garish belt buckle Kim wore on Sunday. It sparkled with gems around the letters “AK,” nearly as eye-catching as the replica of the U.S. Capitol the tournament awards as a trophy.
Kim is already known for his belt buckles, but this one—sent to him by a clothing company—was his flashiest yet.
“It weighs a lot. It costs a lot,” Kim said. “I’m glad I wore it today. I needed a big day.”
Kim played the final 22 holes without a bogey, emerging from a crowded leaderboard with birdies around the turn. He 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 five at the AT&T National not already exempt.
“I’m just happy to play well and finish off the week,” said Jacobson, who lost in a playoff after a 36-hole qualifier for the British Open on Monday outside Detroit.
U.S. Open runner-up Rocco Mediate also qualified for Royal Birkdale from a special money list.
Tommy Armour III closed with a 69 and was among six players who tied for third at 271. Armour finished with six straight pars, when one birdie would have earned him a spot in the British Open over Mediate.
Next up for Kim is the British Open, and another chance to influence the next wave of golfers the way he was influenced by Woods.
“It’s time to grow up and make the right decisions,” Kim said. “And I feel like I’m in a great position right now, that I get to affect young kids. I feel like a lot of them look up to me, so I have to put myself out there like Tiger did for me, and be an example and be somebody my parents will be proud of.”
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