Kim Wins AT&T, Looks Set for More Challenges

23-Year-Old May Become a Worthy Rival for Woods

If Tiger Woods watched his signature tournament on television from his Orlando home yesterday, he might have seen a glimpse of his future when he returns to competitive golf next year on a healthy left knee. Specifically, he and viewers nationwide witnessed a 23-year-old potential long-term rival in full flight yesterday, a young man who shows no fear once he assumes the lead and says he loves to stomp on his opponents once he gets them down.

That's precisely what Los Angeles native Anthony Kim demonstrated at the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club. With three birdies over a four-hole stretch in the middle of his bogey-free round of 5-under-par 65, Kim took the lead after his 11th hole and never let go. Then he wrapped his arms around the silver capitol dome trophy on the 18th green for his second victory in his last five events.

With four rounds in the 60s and a 12-under total of 268, Kim became just the fourth multiple winner on the PGA Tour this season, joining Woods, Phil Mickelson and Kenny Perry. More significantly, he's the first American player under 25 to win twice in a season since Woods accomplished that feat in his first year as a pro in 1996. Just two other players under 25 have done it: Spaniard Sergio García and Australian Adam Scott, both now in the top 10 in the world rankings.

A crowd of 30,000, about 7,000 fewer than at last year's final round, witnessed his two-shot victory over Sweden's Fredrik Jacobson (65 -- 270), who birdied five of his last seven holes but never really threatened the champion's lead. Kim earned $1.08 million from the $6 million purse and virtually ensured a berth on the U.S. Ryder Cup team in September. Winning a tournament with the No. 1 player in the world's name attached had special meaning, as well.

"It's huge for me," Kim said. "I grew up watching one video, and 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 because I idolized him growing up. It's so surreal for me to be in this position right now."

He's in this position a year after deciding to re-dedicate himself to a game that came so naturally to him growing up on municipal courses in Southern California. Though he easily kept his playing privileges after his 2007 rookie season, Kim said he knew he had to give up the party animal lifestyle he tried to perfect a year ago and focus on fulfilling his unlimited potential by getting to the gym and the practice range.

"The guy is staying home at night now; he's not drinking," said Jim Weathers, a trainer and physical therapist who has worked with Kim all season and gave him a champagne shower a few minutes after he had signed his scorecard. "He's taking it very seriously, and that's all his doing."

"Anthony is a great young talent," said former U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk, who posted 66 to climb into a six-way tie for third at 9-under 271, three shots out of the lead. "He's got no fear out there. He fires at the pins. When he gets the lead, he's very comfortable with it as we saw at Charlotte [where Kim won the Wachovia Championship on May 4]. He's going to win a bunch of tournaments out here."

Kim is fully aware many of his playing peers are now looking at him as a long-term challenger to Woods, who is recovering from knee surgery on June 24 to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

"I think any time there's a younger guy that plays good, there's always a little bit of a buzz that's created and people are looking and hoping to find the guy that's going to challenge Tiger," Kim said. "Right now, he's injured . . . but it's time for the young guys to step up and make a statement. . . . I'm sure he wants people contending and that lights a fire under his belly -- to be in the hunt and have people step up and see what he's made of."

Woods called Kim to congratulate him just before the trophy presentation. He said Woods "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. That means the world to me. I get chills down my back when I think about it."

Kim, three strokes behind after 54 holes, began his move with a 6-iron at the 174-yard No. 7 to within six feet and made the birdie putt to begin his push. He knocked a sand wedge at the 602-yard, par-5 No. 9 to within eight feet and made that birdie putt to get to 10 under, then smacked a 5-iron to within 10 feet at the 218-yard No. 10. He buried that putt, too, moving to 11 under and opening a three-shot lead that never was truly challenged.

He was in a spot of trouble at the 437-yard 17th, where his second shot nestled in deep greenside rough pin-high. Despite a dreadful lie, Kim feathered a lob wedge to within a foot of the cup to save his par.

"Every time I'm in those positions," he said, "I try to just imagine being out with my friends or being out when I was 10 at the muni course, where you get some of the bad lies and you don't think about it. How am I going to get this ball up and down and maybe hole out? So open the clubface and I swung like I usually do when I'm playing golf with my friends. It was pretty routine."

It was anything but routine for his closest pursuers. Tom Pernice Jr., the 54-hole leader, saw his chances drown with a 5-iron shot in the water and a double bogey at No. 10. He shot 72 -- 272 and tied for ninth. Steve Stricker, one behind at the start of play, faded to a tie for 18th with a 73 -- 274.

The third man in the final group was Tommy Armour III, whose grandfather -- the famous "Silver Scot" -- once worked as a club pro at Congressional. He was two back after 54 holes and posted 69 -- 271, tying for third. Even Rocco Mediate, the U.S. Open runner-up, had something to cheer about, earning enough money with his 66 -- 274 and tie for 18th to qualify for the British Open in two weeks, as did Jacobson.

But the biggest winner of all was the second-generation Korean American kid wearing an oversized "AK" belt buckle big enough to choke a Tiger, with a golf game that just keeps getting better.

"I guess I want to beat everyone I play against, and whether I'm friends with somebody or not, it doesn't really matter," Kim said. "I love beating up on my friends at home. A lot of them like to talk and say they're going to beat me that day, and I just love hammering them. I love the competition, and I love winning."

Look out, Tiger; here he comes.