Kim closes in on first PGA Tour victory

By Andrew Both

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Reuters) - Anthony Kim carded a flawless six-under 66 in the third round of the Wachovia Championship on Saturday to jump into a commanding four-shot lead and close in on his first PGA Tour victory.

The 22-year-old American was a combined 13-under par at Quail Hollow after three rounds, ahead of fellow Americans Jason Bohn and Heath Slocum tied for second on nine under.

"I'm so excited, I don't really know what to say right now," said Kim.

"I'm glad I got this round over with and hung in there and played a really solid round in the final pairing.

"I feel like I'm ready (to win) but you never know. Every day is a new day, especially with this crazy game."

Kim, born in Los Angeles to Korean parents, is one of the most promising young players on the Tour and seems to have found a way to contain the fiery temper that hampered his rookie season last year.

"If I didn't hit a good shot, I felt my life was over," he admitted. "It's hard to play golf that way."

Kim had his emotions under control on Saturday.

Starting the day two strokes behind overnight leader Bohn, he moved into the lead at the par-four ninth with his fourth birdie of the round.

He added two more coming home, punctuating his performance by banging in a seven-foot birdie putt at the difficult par-four 18th.

Halfway leader Bohn was impressed.

"When he missed a fairway, he recovered extremely well. He made a couple of great par putts, exactly like you see Tiger Woods do," he said.

Bohn also finished in style with a 35-foot chip-in at the last for par to salvage a 72.

"It was awesome to chip in," he said.

"I'm proud of the way I hung in there early. It took a little bit of time to get settled. To bounce back, that says a lot about me."