Kim not on steroids but back on top

MANILA, Philippines - The long-hitting Chan Kim of the United States hit a quadruple bogey on the par-3 No. 8 yesterday to finish the day with a one-over-par 73 and not knowing what to expect.

As he walked off the 18th green, the giant leaderboard in the ICTSI Philippine Open suggested a tie for the lead among Kim and three others.

Somebody got it all wrong.

Soon after, everybody realized that Kim had regained the overall lead which he shared with Siddikur Raman of Bangladesh after Thursday’s opening round.

“I’m very surprised actually,” said the 24-year-old Kim, who had a 66 on opening day and a 72 the other day. He never thought a 73 would give him back the lead.

Kim will enter today’s final round at 211, just one up on Filipino Jay Bayron (69), Korean Wang Jeung-hun (72) and Australian Marcus Both (76).

Three others, Thailand’s Arnong Vongvanij (68), the Philippines’ Antonio Lascuña (69) and Australia’s Nathan Holman (72), stood at 214. Five players were another shot behind at 215.

Miguel Tabuena went even par and was in a seven-way tie for 18th at 217 while Angelo Que, a former Philippine Open winner, had a 72 for a share of 25th with five others at 218.

It’s a tossup on the final day of the tournament sponsored by the International Container Terminals Services, Inc. and presented by the MVP Sports Foundation and PLDT.

Kim, who stands close to 6’3,” is happy to be on top.

“Definitely I didn’t think that 5-under I would be leading. I thought I’d be two to three shots back if I was at 5-under. I’m definitely shocked,” said Kim.

“I thought somebody would shoot well and climb up the leaderboard,” he added.

Kim would have done a lot better for the hot and windy day if not for the horrible seven on No. 8, a 189-yard par-3. It’s the signature hole of the course, its turtle-back green surrounded by six deep bunkers.

He used a six-iron off the tee, sending his ball way right. His second shot hit the branch of a tree. Then he visited the bunkers twice, got on in five and two-putted.

On any given day, it’s easy to hit double-par on this hole.  

Kim had a similar quadruple bogey on the same hole during last year’s Solaire Open. He said he couldn’t say which one of the two 7s “was uglier.”

“I thought I was playing mini-golf on number eight. When my tee shot went to the right I thought I could make four. And after my second I thought five would be great,” he said.

On the 7th hole, a par-4 that played way much shorter yesterday at 258 yards, Kim showed how long he could hit the ball.

The native of Gilbert, Arizona pulled out a three-iron when the others were getting off with their 3-woods. Yet, he overshot the green.

“Yeah, it was a three-iron that went past the green,” he said.

Someone suggested he may be on steroids to be hitting 258 yards to the pin with a three-iron, and Kim answered with a big laugh.  

“Just don’t tell anybody,” he said.

Of course, he’s not. 

Another scribe thought he heard 358 yards.

“Then I would definitely be on steroids,” said Kim.