Kim claims title at Wachovia
By Andrew Both PA SportsTicker Golf Writer
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) - Anthony Kim is a secret no longer, not after his brilliant victory at the $6.4 million Wachovia Championship on Sunday.
The 22-year-old Kim became the youngest winner on the PGA Tour in more than six years, stealing the show with a brilliant coming out party at Quail Hollow.
Starting the day with a four-shot lead, he never gave his rivals a chance, banging in four front nine birdies on his way to a commanding 3-under-par 69 final round.
The back nine was a two-hour victory waltz as he cruised to a five-stroke victory over Ben Curtis. The margin was the largest in the event’s short six-year history.
Kim also smashed the tournament-record low score, finishing at 16-under 272, while Curtis (65) shot the day’s lowest round to claim second place on 11-under.
“This is what I’ve been dreaming about my whole life, and fulfilling this dream is awesome,” said Kim, who was born in California of Korean parents, and now lives in Dallas. “It’s been a long ride but it sure is worth it. I’m a little numb right now, but that walk up 18 was the best feeling of my entire life.
“I had chills going up and down my spine. I knew my life was changing on the green when I was lining up that putt. All these emotions started running through me and I realized what I had done.”
Kim has been tagged as a potential superstar since finishing tied second in his first tour event in last 2006. He was a respectable 60th on last year’s money list, but was held back, as he freely admits, by his own immaturity.
“I think I’ve grown up this week,” he said. “I was an immature kid last year. If I’d won last year my practicing would have gone down to even less, and there wasn’t much to go down.
“It might have been the best thing for me, just to get slapped in the face and realize I can’t win out there without practicing and giving it my all and focusing on every shot. That did wonders for me this year.”
Heath Slocum, who played with Kim on Sunday, was certainly impressed.
“From the get-go, he put his foot on the gas and never let off,” Slocum said. “That was very, very impressive.”
Robert Allenby, who 15 years ago was also rated as a potential superstar, pointed out that golf is very much a mind game, and the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune have sabotaged many a promising career.
“He has a lot of talent and a great swing,” Allenby said. “When you’re young, you’ve got to make the most of it, because once you get a little older, that’s when the brain starts thinking too much and you get in the way of yourself.
“Today he’s just let himself go and just freed up, and that’s why he’s playing so well.”
Kim, who received $1,152,000 to jump to sixth on this year’s money list, also vaulted into contention for the American Ryder Cup team.
With Boo Weekley also in the running, Paul Azinger’s lineup to take on the Europeans in September could have some much-needed new blood.
“I haven’t even thought about that,” said Kim, who soon will.
