ATLANTA — Four days after Anthony Kim humbled Sergio Garcia in the Ryder Cup, he beat 29 players just as badly Thursday at the Tour Championship.
Showing no effects of a Ryder Cup hangover, Kim made eight birdies en route to a 6-under-par 64 in his Tour Championship debut to build a four-shot lead over Masters champion Trevor Immelman, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson.
“Just trying to enjoy the moment,” Kim said. “This Ryder Cup hangover doesn’t feel as bad as a college hangover.”
Vijay Singh, who only has to complete all four rounds at East Lake Golf Club to win the FedEx Cup, started poorly, 5-over through 11 holes, before settling for a 73.
Perhaps there is one race that could come down to the wire. Mickelson has a chance to win the Vardon Trophy for the lowest adjusted scoring average, and at 69.52, he leads Garcia (69.53). Mickelson at least needs to finish ahead of the Spaniard to capture his first major award on the PGA Tour. Kim, however, is one-tenth of a point behind at 69.62.
“It would be cool,” Mickelson said when asked about the Vardon Trophy. “I don’t really understand the mathematics of the scoring average, because it’s not really your score.”
But he understood a 68 and was pleased with it. Mickelson made the turn at 4-under thanks to some putting that has been missing most of the year. One errant shot struck a small girl in the knee, and before Mickelson could check on her, his caddie brought some levity to the moment.
“Have you seen our Crowne Plaza commercials?” he said, referring to one scene when Mickelson meets with various fans he has hit in the gallery over the years.
McGill shares Navistar lead
PRATTVILLE, Ala. — For Jill McGill, her first victory in 13 seasons on the LPGA Tour could be blowing in the wind.
The former Cherry Creek High School standout fired a 7-under 65 to share the first-round lead of the Navistar LPGA Classic with Jane Park and Jeong Jang.
“We had really good conditions for the front nine. I would say the wind really was not a factor,” McGill said. “When we got to the back side, it picked up a little bit and halfway through the back side it switched directions on us. So as long as you know your directional compass, I think you’re all right out there.”
Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa was two strokes back in her first competitive round since tying for sixth in the Safeway Classic on Aug. 24.
Westwood stroke off lead
SUTTON COLDFIELD, England — Marcus Fraser and Mikael Lundberg shot 5-under 67s to share the first-round lead of the British Masters at The Belfry.
Defending champion Lee Westwood was a stroke back, showing few signs of jet lag after his return from the United States after the Ryder Cup loss. He was joined by Marc Warren, Sam Walker, Anders Hansen and Rafa Echenique.
Footnotes.
U.S. Walker Cup captain Buddy Marucci won the USGA Senior Amateur, beating George Zahringer 2-up at Shady Oaks Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
• Diane Lang won the USGA Senior Women’s Amateur for the third time in four years, beating Toni Wiesner 6 and 5 at Tulsa (Okla.) Country Club. The Associated Press
