Rising talent Kim set to scale taller peaks

Anthony Kim's victory at the AT&T National has propelled the American's name toward the top of a short list of players most likely to challenge Tiger Woods when the world number one returns to action.

Although any talk of a genuine rival for Woods is foolish given that very few golfers of his quality have graced the game, the sport badly needs more competition at its pinnacle.

Time is already running out for the generation of Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen to make a sustained challenge at the top and fans are now looking at younger guns such as Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia and now Kim.

Long trumpeted as perhaps the best young American player to emerge since the remarkable Woods, Kim has vaulted into the limelight with two impressive victories on the 2008 PGA Tour.

In May aged 22, he became the circuit's youngest winner in more than six years by romping to a five-stroke win at the Wachovia Championship.

Four starts later aged 23, he triumphed by two shots at the AT&T National, joining Woods, Mickelson and fellow American Kenny Perry as the only multiple champions this season.

Kim's success on Sunday at Congressional Country Club lifted him to a career-high 14th in the world rankings and to fifth in the Tour's money list with earnings of $3 256 622.

More significantly, though, his second victory of the year fulfilled a prediction made by double major winner Mark O'Meara six months earlier.

In the build-up to the Buick Invitational in January, O'Meara said Kim had a better golf swing than Woods at the same age and was capable of winning multiple titles each season.

"At 22 Tiger had already won six tournaments and I think Tiger's mental game was probably stronger," said the 51-year-old American, who won 16 titles on the PGA Tour including the US Masters and British Open in 1998.

MULTIPLE TOURNAMENTS

"But technique-wise I reckon Anthony's swing is better at 22 than what Tiger's was. He could win multiple tournaments a year easily and win major championships. That's how talented he is in my opinion."

Kim, a three-times All-American at the University of Oklahoma of Korean heritage, has been highly rated by his peers since his rookie season in 2007 and his polished victory at the weekend enhanced his already glittering credentials.

"He's fearless and he's got tremendous length for a little guy," Tour veteran Fred Funk told reporters on Sunday. "He's just got that arrogance, the cocky attitude that you need to have when he's in the position that he's in.

"He's going to be a force to be reckoned with. He's got the power, a really good short game and the perfect attitude. He doesn't back down to anybody."

Kim, who has ended his partying habits of last year to become more disciplined on and off the golf course, is eager to make the most of his potential.

He is also keen to grasp any opportunities available in the absence of 14-times major winner Woods, who is sidelined for the rest of the year while he recuperates from the knee surgery he had after winning last month's US Open in a playoff.

"It's a time for the young guys to step up and make a statement," Kim said. "Guys like Sergio and Justin Rose are upcoming right now. (Australian) Jason Day is a great player and there's going to be quite a few challengers.

"Hopefully somebody can step up. I haven't done enough to say I'm the guy but I'd like to think that I can work my way into that position. But right now, I still have a ways to go.

Asked if he felt Woods wanted a genuine challenge to his supremacy, Kim replied: "Well, I've got to win about 13 more majors to worry him in any aspect of threatening him and what he's done for the game and what he does every week.

"If I keep getting better, I don't see why I couldn't challenge him (Woods). I'm going to keep working hard and hopefully I can be that player some people think I can be."