Kim Is Back to Make His Defense

When Anthony Kim won the AT&T National last year, he was quite frank about his own maturation process, which he said was very much on-going at the age of 23. Now, a year later, Kim is back at Congressional Country Club to defend his title against a field that -- unlike last year -- includes Tiger Woods. And the maturation process continues.

"I just turned 24 a week ago, or 10 days ago," said Kim, whose birthday was June 19. "I have no pressure from anybody. I want to play great golf. I want to win golf tournaments. I'm here to do that. But at the same time, I have so much to look forward to."

Kim, though, has not won since he beat Fredrik Jacobson by two shots in last year's event. In fact, he has struggled a bit this year, placing second in the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship, but failing to post another top-10 finish. He had eight top-10s and two wins a year ago.

"I've heard all the stats," Kim said. "I haven't finished in the top 20 in some-odd events, and it was frustrating because I do feel like I've been working hard."

Kim, though, said he can trace the problems to health -- specifically, a thumb problem he encountered 2 1/2 months ago.

"I have not been able to really put any pressure on the golf club with my left thumb," Kim said. "And that sounds like not a big deal, but it was a huge deal because I couldn't get through the ball, and I couldn't hit a fade."

The fade, Kim said, is the basis of his game. Now, he said, the thumb is feeling better, and his confidence was boosted by a tie for 16th at the U.S. Open two weeks ago, then a tie for 11th last week at the Travelers Championship.

"I've been getting treatment, getting stronger and stronger and getting in better shape, so it's starting to come around," Kim said. "My thumb feels as good as it has in probably three months."

Begay Refocuses

Notah Begay III was once a rising star on the PGA Tour. All four of his victories came in 1999 and 2000, before he was 28. Then he started experiencing back problems.

He was forced back to qualifying school last year, and is playing on tour full-time again. But the results aren't there; he has made the cut just three times in 13 events.

"It's been so long, I don't really know that I do have it in me anymore," Begay said. "You just got to, somehow, come to terms with that."

Begay thus spends much of his time dealing with his foundation, which educates Native Americans on health and wellness issues.

"That's all I got," he said. "I don't know if I'll ever play at the highest level again. I want to put time into something that matters."

Three for the Show

Woods will play in the marquee threesome for the first and second rounds tomorrow and Friday, respectively. He will play from the first tee at Congressional's Blue Course at 1:02 p.m. tomorrow, joining U.S. Open champ Lucas Glover and Charley Hoffman, something of the long-haired surfer dude of the PGA Tour.

That same threesome will begin the second round from the 10th tee at 8:12 a.m. Friday.

The other marquee threesome is likely Kim, 2003 U.S. Open champ Jim Furyk and tour veteran Davis Love III, who will begin play at 8 a.m. tomorrow from No. 10.

Three-time major champion Vijay Singh is in the group just ahead of Woods on both days, beginning at 12:50 p.m. tomorrow. U.S. Amateur champ Danny Lee, now a professional, is in the last group from the first tee tomorrow, starting play at 1:52 p.m.