Tiger Woods couldn?t be here this week. But Sunday at Congressional Country Club, Anthony Kim delivered the next best thing.
Seizing the stage with a Tiger-like performance, Kim emerged from a jumbled field to win the second AT&T National by two strokes over Fredrik Jacobson. Under cloudy skies and a threat of rain that barely materialized, the 23-year-old Kim shot a 5-under-par 65 in the final round to finish 12-under, win $1,080,000, and claim his second PGA Tour title in nine weeks.
Kim has been called the heir apparent to Woods. And he too favorsNike swooshes and fist pumps. Both have Asian blood and were raised in Southern California by working-class parents. Sunday the comparison was more than superficial.
“It?s huge for me,” said Kim. “I grew up watching one video. It was called Tiger?s Triple when he won three U.S. Juniors and three U.S. Amateurs. To win his golf tournament is amazing.”
After his round, Kim?s trainer doused him with champagne. Later, he received a call from tournament host Woods.
“He told me just to keep working hard and keep it up. And the sky?s the limit and there?s no reason to stop now,” said Kim. “I get chills down my back when I think about it because, like I said, I grew up idolizing him. He is the Michael Jordan of golf.”
Kim had an immaculate final round ? five birdies, no bogeys. When the day started, he was tied for sixth and trailed Tom Pernice, Jr. by three strokes. But by the time Kim made the turn, he was in the lead for good thanks to his sizzling iron play.
