Tiger Woods got lucky over the weekend. No, he didn't toss aside his crutches and start practicing again, but he had a good winner at the tournament he hosts, the AT&T National: Anthony Kim.
The 23-year-old Kim, who was born in Los Angeles but moved to La Quinta when he was 16, is a star in the making. Or it could be that he's already achieved star status.
The AT&T, in Bethesda, Md., was Kim's second victory this year (he also won the Wachovia the first weekend in May), and he has made a steady climb up the world rankings. Kim's win at Congressional jumped him six places to a career-best 14th. He started the year ranked 74th.
Like Woods, Kim was a prodigy. He was a four-time AJGA All-American, freshman of the year at Oklahoma in 2004, a member of the 2005 winning Walker Cup team and a three-time All-American at Oklahoma before he turned pro in 2006.
Kim was second in his first pro event and everybody waited for him to break through. He has.
Although Kim weighs only 160 pounds, he pounds the ball, averaging 301 yards off the tee, tied for eighth on the PGA Tour. He also has touch -- he's tied for 18th in putting -- and his scoring average of 69.55 is second only to Phil Mickelson's 69.45.
Actually, Woods' scoring average of 67.55 is best, but he hasn't played enough rounds to qualify. And he won't, either.
Kim's bogey-free round of 65 Sunday was worth a two-shot victory.
He said afterward he wasn't surprised about being regarded as a hotshot.
"Any time there's a younger guy that plays good, there's always a little bit of buzz that's created and people are looking and hoping to find a guy that's going to challenge Tiger," Kim said.
"Right now, he's obviously injured and not going to be out here, but it's a time for the young guys to step up and make a statement. Hopefully other people will get to know golf besides Tiger. He's done so much for the game, but at the same time, we need to step up."
Woods called Kim after the tournament to congratulate him, Kim said.
"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.
"That means the world to me. I get chills down my back when I think about it, because I grew up idolizing him. He is the Michael Jordan of golf, and to come out 10 years after him and have this opportunity to play in his golf tournament and be on the PGA Tour and live my dream is truly a wonderful feeling."
