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Well with all due respect, it's about time Tiger Woods finally won the tournament he has hosted for the last three years!  All kidding aside, I am sure that this win comes both as a pleasant reward, and a welcome relief as he finally was able to capture top honors at a tournament he's hosted for years, but just hasn't been able to win it.  That's right, the tournament is over, another welcome relief that weather didn't delay yet another tournament and push back the finish longer than anyone wanted, and Tiger topped Hunter Mahan by a single stroke and Anthony Kim by three.

Kim & Woods Showdown Fizzles

When the day started today, both Tiger Woods and Anthony Kim were tied at -10 and the showdown that every golf fan just about everywhere has wanted to see finally looked like it was going to take place.  When Kim jumped out to an early lead and landed the first blows to go -11, Tiger didn't catch up for quite a few holes.  Once he did catch up, however, it wasn't Kim, but Hunter Mahan that he really had to worry about for the duration of the round.  Worry about, he did, but beat, he also took care of.

Mahan Ties Course Record

Just how big Mahan's surge was is still impressive, which makes the fact that Tiger held him off even more so.  Hunter Mahan ended up shooting a final round 62, which as you probably remember, just so happens to be the course record that was just set by Anthony Kim on Thursday.  Wow, to say the least.  Nevertheless, Tiger scrambled when he needed to scramble and even sunk a 20 foot birdie putt on 16 to safely secure the lead.  When all was said and done and the dust had settled it just took two very routine pars to seal the deal.  Game, set, match to Tiger.

Will Momentum Carry Over

The only question that remains is whether or not this momentum will carry over into Turnberry coming up in two weeks.  I guess we'll see, but knowing Tiger, I wouldn't put it past him.

(Image via Halleran/Getty Images)

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What IS it these past two weeks with the PGA Tour and the absolute destruction of course and tournament records?!  First we see Kenny Perry set a brand new Travelers Championship record by shooting a 4-round 258, and now, only one full day into the AT&T National Tourney at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, MD, the course record has been bested by a stroke and the tournament record by a full three strokes by young Anthony Kim.  Impressive?!  We certainly are inclined to say so.

Kim Sets Records

That's right, Anthony Kim blasted his way through his first round today to set a brand new tournament record.  Previously, the tournament record at the AT&T National had stood at 65, and with Kim's 62 he took care of it quite handily.  Also, the record at Congressional had previously stood at 63, which was an honor shared by Tom Pernice Jr. and Peter Londard...Kim took care of that as well, and what's more exciting, set a brand new career record for himself, as his previous career best round was a 63, which he notched in the first round of the 2007 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

Can Kim Defend?

I suppose the fact that he's the defending champion here at this tournament is adding a bit of fuel to his competitive fire.  Here's what Kim had to say following his record breaking round:

"I love coming back to this course...I have a lot of good feelings here. the course fits my eye....I am getting to the point where I feel like I can win anytime I tee it up."

He must love the course, considering the fact that he hit "71 percent of his fairways, 71.4 percent of his greens in regulation and had a putting average of just over 1.5 putts per hole."  Despite the fact that Kim set records and is playing out of his head right now, he still only has a slim two-stroke lead and there are golfers on the course with half their round left to play that are only three strokes off.  Can he hold onto the Round 1 lead?  Time will tell.

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