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BETHESDA, Maryland: Anthony Kim fired a bogey-free 65 Sunday to
come-from-behind and capture the PGA Tour’s $6-million AT&T
National by two strokes at the Congressional Country Club course.
The 23-year-old American won for the second time
in five starts as he started the day three shots adrift of the
leader.
It was the second title in just over two months
for Kim who finished at 12-under 268 to beat runner-up Fredrik
Jacobson of Sweden.
“Winning out here is so tough that anytime you
get an opportunity to be in the hunt, it feels great,” Kim said.
“And to capitalize on the two chances I’ve had of late feels
wonderful.”
Kim, who earned $1.04-million in first-place
prize money, also claimed the Wachovia Championship in early May.
Australians Rod Pampling, Robert Allenby and
Nick O’Hern were part of a group of a half dozen golfers who tied
for third at nine-under 271.
The victory also moved Kim into sixth place in
the Ryder Cup standings and likely will move him into the top 10 in
the world.
Third-round leader Tom Pernice stumbled to a
disappointing 72 and finished in a tie for ninth.
Pernice opened with a birdie Sunday to take a
two-shot lead, but it all was downhill from there.
By the fifth hole, he found himself in a tie for
the lead, then fell out of the lead following a double-bogey at the
par-four sixth. He sent his tee shot into the water at the par-three
10th, settling for another double-bogey.
Just to garner a top-10 finish, Pernice needed
to birdie three of his final four holes.
A big hitter, Kim had no such struggles, opening
with a birdie at the par-four first hole and adding two more on the
front side at Nos. 7 and 9, making the turn in 32. He took the
outright lead at the ninth, hitting a wedge out of the rough to
within eight feet of the cup, where he sank his putt.
-- AFP
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