+ A
A -
AFP
Los Angeles
Michael Kim made his long-awaited first US PGA Tour triumph a record-breaker on Sunday, winning the John Deere Classic by eight strokes with a final-round 66.
The South Korean-born American finished with a 27-under total of 257 -- one stroke better than the previous tournament record set by Steve Stricker in 2010.
Kim also posted the tournament's largest margin of victory -- by four strokes -- since it moved to TPC Deere Run in 2000.
"I'm just really thankful and proud,"said Kim."I feel like I've been running on fumes the entire back nine. I'm just super-thankful, thankful to my parents, my team, my coaches ..."
A day after celebrating his 25th birthday, Kim punched his ticket to next week's Open Championship at Carnoustie.
Italy's Francesco Molinari and Americans Joel Dahmen, Sam Ryder and Bronson Burgoon shared second on 265.
Kim took a five-shot lead over Burgoon into the final round and wasted no time in stretching his lead.
He opened with three straight birdies at the Silvis, Illinois, layout, rolling in a 24-footer at the third.
Kim stuck his second shot two feet from the pin for a birdie at the eighth, and drained a 21-footer for birdie at 16 to reach 27-under.
He two-putted for par from about 80 feet at the last, holing a five-footer to complete a bogey-free final round and getting an emotional hug from his parents, who to his surprise had just flown in on Sunday.
Kim, a contemporary of young tour standouts Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, enjoyed an outstanding amateur career.
But he didn't get his first PGA victory until his 84th start -- a win that certainly wasn't looking likely when he missed the cut in five of six prior starts.
