Kim’s errant tee shot strikes spectator

There was a scary moment on the ninth hole when Anthony Kim’s errant tee shot struck a spectator in the head.

Medical staff attended to 48-year-old David Whitfield of Atlanta, who was OK despite the crater-like abrasion on the side of his head.

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Rich Addicks/raddicks@ajc.com

Anthony Kim (far left) looks on as paramedics tend to David Whitfield, 48, Atlanta, after he was struck by Kim’s shot off the the ninth tee. Whitfield was struck on the right side of the face, just above the eye, leaving a serious wound. Whitfield was taken from the course by paramedics.

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“Seeing that guy … I thought I killed him,” Kim said. “It was an awful feeling to look down and see a golf-ball-sized impression in his forehead, and it’s cut open. It was probably the nastiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Kim said it didn’t affect his game and refused to blame the incident for his back-nine 37, his highest round of the week.

“I was hitting it terrible anyway, so I can’t say that threw my game off,” Kim said. “But obviously when you see that, you just feel for him and his family, and I was hoping and praying that he’d be OK.”

Kim stood nearby when Whitfield was examined and left behind an autographed golf ball.

Bad stretch

Argentinian Andres Romero had a horrible four-hole stretch that led to his third-round 78. From holes five through eight, Romero missed three of the four greens, resulting in three bogeys and a double bogey. The double came at No. 6, the par 3 over water that Saturday played 154 yards. Romero hit his tee shot in the water and couldn’t get up-and-down from the drop area for his bogey.

Low Georgia guy

Atlanta-born, Clemson-bred D.J. Trahan shot a 71 on Saturday and stands at 4-over 214, good for 16th place. He’s one shot better than Valdosta State grad Briny Baird, shot a 70 and is tied for 17th at 5 over.

Best bounce-back

After nearly receiving the AT&T Phone It In Award, Kenny Perry came back to shoot a 67 on Saturday. Perry, who started the day 11 over and played in the duo off the first tee, made the turn in 32 and wound up cutting eight shots off his best round of the week.

Vijay alert

Vijay Singh reduced his magic number to 18. If the Big Fijian can complete 18 holes today, he’ll collect the $10 million FedEx Cup jackpot. Sing shot 72 on Saturday and dropped into a tie for 24th at 9 over.

Bulldog sympathizers

With the Georgia football team wearing black jerseys against Alabama, former Bulldogs Ryuji Imada and Bubba Watson exhibited some team spirit by wearing black shirts Saturday. That didn’t work out so great: Imada shot a 71 and Watson shot a 74. Neither is in contention in their first appearance at The Tour Championship.

Hanging on

South African Tim Clark continued to cling to last place after third-round 71. Clark is 13 over, but has posted a lower score each day. East Lake member and Duluth resident Stewart Cink and his Ryder Cup playing partner Chad Campbell are making a move on 30th place. Cink shot 73 and is 29th at 11 over and Campbell shot 75 and is 28th at 10 over.