This time, Kim didn't let one bad round ruin his week

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Anthony Kim's runner-up at PGA National moved him all the way to 19th in the FedExCup standings.

A year ago, Anthony Kim would have needed to make a stop on his 90-mile trek from PGA National in Palm Beach County to Doral Resort & Spa in Miami.

ANTHONY KIM

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He would have needed some new clubs. Or at least have some broken ones fixed.

Kim admitted he was running more than a little hot when he closed Saturday's third round of The Honda Classic with three consecutive bogeys, virtually ensuring he wouldn't catch playing partner Camilo Villegas.

"I wanted to break every club in the bag," Kim said, "But then I wouldn't have had a set to play."

Wise move.

His weapons were in no danger Sunday, as Kim rebounded with a 67 to rally for a second-place finish at The Honda Classic. Those three closing bogeys prevented Kim from getting closer than five shots to winner Villegas, but the second-place showing matched Kim's best week on the PGA TOUR since last year's season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship.

Who's happy now?

"I'm excited with the progress going into next week, and I think I'm just trying to peak for the majors this year, and obviously I want to play well every week," Kim said. "Just try to keep a positive attitude, and once that happens, I'm going to play good golf."

Kim is learning quickly, just like he does almost everything else.

By 23, he had already won twice on the PGA TOUR. By 24, he already had played in the Presidents Cup and the Ryder Cup. U.S. captain Paul Azinger had enough confidence in Kim to send him out first in singles in 2008 at Valhalla, where Kim trounced Sergio Garcia so bad, he didn't realize the match was over.

Oh, to be young and that good.

But it's rarely a straight line of success in professional golf.

Kim failed to win last year as he battled hand and shoulder injuries and didn't qualify for THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola. Kim then parted ways with his caddie, Eric Larson, who was on the bag for both of his TOUR wins in 2008. Kim admits some of the damage was self-inflicted.

"Unfortunately, last year I was injured and had to deal with some bad golf, a bad attitude and lack of practice," Kim said. "So I know I'm putting in the time, and good golf will come, because I know it that I have the ability to do it. It's just a matter of going out and doing it now."

Kim remains as carefree as ever. He looked as comfortable running the floor during a fast break last month, when he played on a celebrity basketball team coached by Magic Johnson as part of the NBA All-Star Game weekend, as he does lining up a 5-foot putt.

The runner-up showing at PGA National improved Kim's Official World Golf Ranking from No. 30 to No. 26, still not close to his career-best No. 6 ranking two years ago. But Kim knows he's playing some of his best golf heading into one of the year's critical stretch of golf, with the Florida swing leading into the Masters and THE PLAYERS Championship.

The next step is this week's World Golf Championships-CA Championship at TPC Blue Monster, a course Kim thinks favors his game. Then again, there's not many layouts that don't.

"If I keep hitting it this good, it's going to be great for my game because it's a longer golf course," Kim said. "I'm reading the greens real well. My caddie and I are doing a good job of reading the grain, and that's the first thing you have to look at. So if we can just keep a level head out there and stay happy, we'll be just fine."

And no stop-offs needed for club repairs.

Craig Dolch is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.