Sihwan Kim

Korean-born Sihwan Kim, 15, of Fullerton, Calif, took the lead for good with a winning par on the sixth hole and defeated 14-year-old David Chung of Fayetteville, N.C., 1 up, in the U.S. Junior Amateur final match at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif, becoming the second youngest to win the championship title.

Kim, who moved from Seoul to the U.S. in October of 2000, 2 days older than Tiger Woods was when he won the 1 Junior Amateur at 15 years and seven months. Woods won the 1992 and 1993 Junior titles. Chung, at 14 s and six months, would have become the youngest for Amateur champion.

Kim, whose first name is loosely translated as "bright star," surprised himself with success.

I can't believe I won this tournament," said Kim, after making an uphill comeback five-footer for par to halve the last hole and close out his match.

Chung won the first hole of the match with a birdie, but it would be the only time would lead. Kim squared the match with a winning par at the second and won again with a par at the sixth, putting himself ahead to stay.

Kim was 2 up after winning the ninth hole. The two players then traded wins at the 10th and 12th holes, with Kim regaining a 2-up margin by holing his 22-foot birdie putt at hole No. 12.

"That birdie putt on No. 12 really helped me," Kim said. "If it wasn't for that, I'd be in the playoff, and then you never know who will win."

Chung cut the lead to 1 up by winning the 14th, but he couldn't get any closer. He kept the match alive by sinking a 10-foot putt for bogey to halve the difficult 465-yard 17th hole, but missed a six-footer for birdie on the 18th hole that would have squared the match.

"I was expecting David to make his putt and we would have a playoff," said Kim, who stands 6-feet and weighs 200 pounds, nearly 100 pounds more than Chung. "David's putting was awesome.

"My heart was pounding really hard. I thought I was going to have a heart attack," said Kim in describing his emotions before sinking his last putt.

Chung had plenty of comeback wins during the week, including two matches where his comeback took him to extra holes, but this one came up short. He missed four putts from 10 feet or less in the final match.

"It was a relief just to get here," said Chung. "I think I have a lot more confidence now. I tried my best and as long as I did that, I'm happy."

Kim never trailed in his semifinal match, but needed wins on holes 14 and 15 to pull away for a 3-and-2 victory over Jon Curran, 17, of Hopkinton, Mass. Kim also beat defending champion Brian Harman, 17, of Savannah, Ga., in his quarterfinal match, 1 up.

Chung won holes 13 and 14 en route to a 2-up win over Sunghoon Kang, 17, of Korea, in his semifinal match, and rallied from 5 holes down after 11 holes to win his quarterfinal match, one-putting four times in the last six holes.

Harman was the medalist at 7-under-par total of 133, by eight strokes over Matt Savage, 17, of Louisville, Ky. Kim qualified at 9-over 149. ,

"I got the medalist medal, but it doesn't look nearly as good as that big trophy I had last year," said Harman.

Harman was seeking to become only the second golfer to win back-to-back junior Amateur titles, but Kim knocked him out in the quarterfinal round.

"I didn't think I could beat Brian Harman," said Kim. But he did, and he was the one to hold the trophy.