No sleep, no problem for Kim in first round of HSBC Champions

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Anthony Kim shot an opening-round 67 at Sheshan International Golf Club, where he's three shots back.

SHANGHAI -- You'll excuse Anthony Kim, who is tied for fifth after the first round of the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions, if he looks a little bit like he's going through the motions. Perhaps he's sleepwalking.

Typically at a golf tournament, idle chatter revolves around the weather. But with China hosting its first World Golf Championships event and many U.S. players making the trip for the first time, jet lag seems to be the No. 1 topic of conversation.

"Dude, I can't stay awake past 8:30 p.m."

"I went to the gym -- again -- since I was up at 4:30 and there's nothing on TV."

"By the time I get used to the time change, we'll be headed home."

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Anthony Kim Q and A

This isn't Kim's first trip to the HSBC Champions, however. And having played in Spain last week at the Volvo World Match Play Championship -- he lost to Ross Fisher 4 and 3 in the championship match -- one would think the jet lag would be a lesser concern.

But the 24-year-old has been sleepless in Shanghai since he arrived in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, thanks in no small part to spending an anxious 24-plus hours in Hong Kong earlier in the week when problems with his visa kept him from being able to enter China.

With a few strings pulled by the right people, Kim was able to continue to Shanghai, but he didn't arrive at the hotel until 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Kim was replaced in the pro-am by Matt Kuchar, which allowed him to get some sleep before spending a few hours practicing late Wednesday afternoon, albeit without a practice round at Sheshan International Golf Club.

"I just tried to get as much rest as I could [on Wednesday]," said Kim. "Unfortunately, I wasn't able to come and practice before, but that may have been the best thing for me. I played 100-plus holes of golf last week and I needed that rest."

That unorthodox and unplanned preparation seems to have paid off -- Kim posted six birdies against one bogey on Thursday for a 5-under 67 that left him just three shots off the lead of fellow American Nick Watney. And that was on just three hours' rest since Kim couldn't fall asleep until 4:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Still, it looks as if this HSBC Champions experience will most certainly outshine last year's performance when Kim was disqualified after 36 holes for violating rule 4-3b (playing with a club that was damaged during the round not in the normal course of play). Interpretation: he got ticked off.

"I'm not banging my clubs around as much as I did last year, so I shouldn't have to worry about that." said Kim. "I want to play all four rounds this year. That's a goal of mine is to complete four rounds."

If he keeps playing like he did in the first round -- and can get some sleep -- Kim may find himself overachieving on that goal come Sunday.