Kim wins second Tour event of season
Golf Roundup BETHESDA, Md. (AP) – 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.
The other two youngsters haven’t put up much of fight. Kim might be different.
“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.”
Trouble is, he’ll have to wait to prove what kind of challenge he can throw at the world’s No. 1 player.
Woods had season-ending surgery last week and said Sunday during the telecast that he has no idea how his body will heal from a rebuilt left knee or when he will return.
“It’s a time for the young guys to step up and make a statement,” Kim said.
His statement was playing the final 22 holes at Congressional without a bogey, and emerging from a crowded leaderboard with birdies around the turn, including a 5-iron that covered the flag on the par-3 10th and settled 18 feet behind the cup.
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.
“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.
NW Arkansas Championship
ROGERS, Ark. – South Korea’s Seon Hwa Lee birdied the final hole for a one-stroke victory over Jane Park and Meena Lee in the LPGA Tour’s NW Arkansas Championship.
Seon Hwa Lee closed with a 4-under 68 to finish at 15-under 201.
Meena Lee (70) led by a stroke before coming up short of the green on the par-3 17th. Her chip was long, and she missed from about 10 feet for a bogey.
Seon Hwa Lee, playing in the group just ahead, hit her approach on No. 18 within 3 feet, setting up a birdie that she thought would put her in a playoff.
Meena Lee had a chance to tie on 18, but missed a 15-foot birdie putt.
Jane Park shot a 62.
The 22-year-old Seon Hwa Lee won the Ginn Tribute last month. She won the Women’s World Match Play last year.
Dick’s Sporting Goods Open
ENDICOTT, N.Y. – Argentina’s Eduardo Romero won the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open for his second Champions Tour title, beating Fulton Allem and Gary Koch by a stroke.
Romero shot a 3-under 69 to finish at 17-under 199, equaling the score recorded by R.W. Eaks a year ago in the inaugural event. Romero also won the 2006 Tradition.
Local favorite Joey Sindelar (71) was within one shot of the lead entering the final hole, but his tee shot at No. 18 sailed into the right trees and he made double bogey to finish in fourth at 14-under 202.
European Open
ASH, England – England’s Ross Fisher won the European Open, closing with a 4-under 68 in windy and rainy conditions for a seven-stroke victory over Sergio Garcia.
Fisher finished at 20-under 268 on The London Golf Club’s Heritage Course. Garcia shot a 66, the best round of the day.
Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell was eight strokes back after a 73.
Copyright Associated Press 2008