Hands down, Kim shows he's on the way up at Augusta National

In only his second attempt, Anthony Kim firmly established himself as a first-rate Masters contender. Kim finished third on Sunday even while nursing a thumb that might need surgery.

By Melanie Hauser, PGATOUR.COM Contributor

AUGUSTA, Ga. – If he didn’t get your attention last year with 11 birdies in the second round here, he better have made your radar Sunday afternoon.

Anthony Kim may take himself on wild rides from time to time. He might find uncharted territory like he did this week – and last week, when he needed one playoff hole to win the Shell Houston Open. You might not like his brash style or his signature belt buckles or his NBA buddies – remember, he hit the court during this year’s NBA All-Star weekend. Then again, you might think he’s the coolest guy this side of Freddie Couples.

 But when AK turns it on, when he hits that next gear, there’s one thing everyone can agree on -- all you can do is stand back, take a deep breath and admire the kid and his game.

The 24-year-old with an engaging smile turned a frustrating third round into a final-round E-ticket ride as he went on a birdie-birdie-eagle run down the stretch to make run at Phil Mickelson before falling four shots short of his first Green Jacket. He finished third, a shot behind runner-up Lee Westwood and a shot ahead of four-time Masters champ Tiger Woods.

And he did it all on a wing-and-a-prayer swing and what appears to be a torn ligament in his left thumb.

“I was happy that I hung in there and gave myself an opportunity today, where if I shot something silly low,’’ he grinned, “I would have a chance to win this golf tournament.’’

Try a 65. That was low. The only thing silly about it was that he’s so ridiculously talented and suddenly so mature that he did it hitting draws because, well, that’s all he had in the bag.

He and Adam Schriber, his coach, watched film of his swing Saturday night and saw he was spinning so fast to the right during his third-round 73 that his weight was shifting to his left heel as soon as he took it back.

“And that was creating a lot of hooks and the brother to that is the push,’’ he said. “So I just could not get that ball in the fairway.’’

But instead of working on the range, they went to the gym and threw medicine balls. On Sunday, he got to the course about 20 minutes early to loosen up.

“(I) started feeling like instead of trying to fix it, I'm just going to go ahead and play the right to left shot, even though that's not my normal ball flight, it's something I just felt like I can play with around here, because this is a drawer's golf course,’’ he  said.

“And I just aimed right, and hoped that it would hook left and tried to make a couple of putts along the way.’’

That he did. He bounced around a bit on the front nine and turned 7 under for the tournament and 2 under for the day. He trailed Westwood by five at that point and Mickelson by four. And when he bounced out of Amen Corner, he found that hyperspace gear and started rockin’.

He missed the green at the 13th and finessed a tough chip to 15 feet for birdie. Then a 9-iron to six feet for another birdie. Then he drew a 5-iron at 15 to 15 feet for eagle. The he birdied 16 with a great read from playing partner Y.E. Yang’s miss a few minutes before.

“I saw he just missed it on the high side with a little too much speed,’’ Kim said, “so I played it with a little less speed and higher to the right and cashed it.’’

He went from five back to two back in less than an hour – or at about the same rate he went from good young player to rising superstar. Or from seriously confident kid to a player maturing every week.

His playoff win over Vaughn Taylor in Houston was huge. He held it together as Taylor birdied the 72nd hole and he bogeyed it to force the playoff. Then AK pulled it together and picked up the third PGA TOUR win of his career.

“I definitely gained a lot of confidence after last week,” he said  “The attitude I had, the mindset I was in last week really helped me this week.  I feel like I've actually gotten over a little hump in my golf career when I felt like things were stalling.

“I know now that with my attitude, if I can just get my ball striking to it was, I'm going to be at a different level. ‘’

Time was when AK expected to shoot 65 every time he teed it up. And when he piled up two or three or more bogeys along the way, well, that wasn’t realistic.

“Then I start pressing, and I start trying to make birdies and start going for pins that I don't necessarily need to go for, but maybe 10 feet right, and end up hitting in the water and there goes your 75.’’

He’s got that part of his game under control and knows what’s wrong with his swing, so now it’s on to the thumb. Coming into the week he was talking  about having surgery on it after the Masters. But Sunday, he was wavering.

He’s due to see hand specialist Dr. Tom Graham this week. He had a cortisone shot a few months ago and said they’re talking with Nike about finding a special glove that holds the thumb in place.

“We’re just,’’ he said, “trying to figure something out.’’

As for Augusta? It’s beginning to look like he’ll be on the short list here for a long time.

A share of 20th last year in his first Masters; a third in his second.

He’s got a little of Mickelson’s go-for-broke attitude, a little of his own style. He loves the spotlight. Remember, he gave Jessica Alba a putting lesson on The Jay Leno Show earlier this year. He showed off his defense in the NBA Celebrity game – his shot needs a little work – and he grew up in Los Angeles idolizing Magic Johnson

And when he turns it on, when he finds that next gear, look out. A major just might be coming. And soon.