Atlanta, GA (Best E Casino) - Anthony Kim fired a six-under 64 to take the first-round lead Thursday at the Tour Championship.
Kim, a key player in the United States' win at the Ryder Cup last weekend, mixed eight birdies with two bogeys to take a four-shot lead over Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Trevor Immelman.
"I feel very fortunate to be here," said Kim, one of just five players who broke par in the 30-man field. "And I want a good performance."
K.J. Choi had a one-under 69 and was alone in fifth place -- a shot behind Mickelson, Els and Immelman -- while Sergio Garcia and Mike Weir were tied at even-par 70.
Garcia, the only European Ryder Cup player in the field this week, was trounced 5 & 4 by Kim in the opening match of singles on Sunday, one of the surprises in a big U.S. win.
From one big event to another, this week marks the fourth and final event of the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs.
Vijay Singh, a winner at the Barclays and Deutsche Bank Championship, will wrap up the FedEx Cup and its $10 million first-place prize as long as he can finish all four rounds this week.
Singh opened with a three-over 73, playing five-over par until he made back- to-back birdies at the 14th and 15th holes.
Camilo Villegas, No. 2 to Singh in playoff points, had a two-over 72. Villegas -- and any other player in the field, for that matter -- doesn't have a chance to catch Singh unless the big Fijian withdraws or is disqualified.
With no reason to believe that will happen, the second year of the PGA Tour's new playoff system is headed for an anticlimactic ending. And more possible changes to the format.
"I'm not sure I'm smart enough to be commissioner of this tour," said Immelman, "but I'm sure there'll be a few tweaks."
Kim, who ranks sixth in playoff points, took a two-shot lead with three consecutive birdies from the ninth hole, capped by a long birdie putt from the fringe at No. 11.
"I couldn't believe that," he said.
He faltered to a bogey at the 12th, but was still one ahead of Mickelson. A birdie putt at the 15th and a 19-footer for birdie at the 17th gave Kim his four-shot advantage.
A 23-year-old rising star on the PGA Tour, Kim picked up his first two PGA Tour wins earlier this season. Finding the greens at East Lake to his liking -- "You had to play a lot more break" -- Kim needed just 26 putts in his first round.
"I just try to get the feel in my hands when I get up there," he said.
Mickelson, after a middling performance at the Ryder Cup (he was paired with Kim three times), made a 23-foot birdie putt early in his round to tie for the lead. He held a two-shot advantage over four players after he rolled in a seven-foot birdie putt at No. 9.
But Lefty was done in by four bogeys on the back nine, including two on his last three holes.
"This is the last tournament of the year for me," said Mickelson, who ranks ninth in playoff points, "so I'm up for it."
Els had five birdies in the opening round, but also three bogeys. Four of his birdies came during a six-hole stretch on the back nine, including a nice approach to four feet at the 13th.
"That was the shot of the day for me," said Els, who is 21st on the points list.
Immelman, who has just one top-10 finish since his win at the Masters, mixed four birdies with two bogeys Thursday. He birdied the 15th to tie Els at two- under.
Along with Kim and Mickelson, eight other members of the winning U.S. Ryder Cup team made the field (only the top-30 players on the playoff points list were eligible).
But Steve Stricker, Justin Leonard, Jim Furyk, Chad Campbell, Hunter Mahan, Stewart Cink, Kenny Perry and Ben Curtis all finished over par Thursday.
