American Anthony Kim has fired a 5-under-par final round of 65 to
win the AT&T National golf tournament in Bethesda, Maryland, near
Washington, D.C. by two strokes. VOA's Jim Stevenson has more from
Congressional Country Club where Kim becomes the first American under
age 25 since world number one Tiger Woods to win two U.S. PGA Tour
titles in one year.
The 23-year-old Kim started play Sunday tied
for sixth place. But on a cloudy, humid day, Kim fired consecutive
birdies to overcome a three-shot deficit.
Kim had a four-shot
lead before Fredrik Jacobson of Sweden made a charge that fell short.
Kim finished the course that will host the 2011 U.S. Open at
12-under-par, 268. Jacobson shot a 65 to take second place at 270,
while six men tied for third place another shot back.
Kim won
the Wachovia Championship earlier this year at Quail Hollow, and says
the traditional style course apparently fit his style.
"I know I
am playing quite well right now," said Anthony Kim. "And I am thinking
well. It seems [my win at] Wachovia and the AT&T here, you had to
think your way around the golf course instead of just bombing it and
gouge and try to wedge it up there and make a lot of birdies. It was
more of a strategic golf course. And I seem to pretty well at those."
Tiger
Woods is the tournament host. But he remained at home in Orlando,
Florida, as he recovers from season-ending knee surgery. Kim turned
professional in 2006 and has drawn some comparisons to a younger Tiger
Woods. But Kim says he was increasingly not happy with his results and
decided to change his poor work ethic and habits.
"I love the
feeling of competing and being in the hunt," said Kim. "I love the
little butterflies you get in your stomach. And that is why I play the
game. So I do not know what changed. But I realized that if I did not
work hard and put in the hours, I was not going to reap the benefits."
Kim has now won twice in five starts. He will rest next week before he tees off in the British Open at Royal Birkdale.
News
