Anthony Kim is a secret no longer after his brilliant victory at the Wachovia Championship in North Carolina.

The 22-year-old became the youngest winner on the PGA Tour for more than six years, stealing the show with a brilliant display at Quail Hollow.

Starting the day with a four-shot lead, he never gave his rivals a sniff of a chance, banging in four front-nine birdies on his way to a commanding three-under-par 69 in the final round.

The back nine was a two-hour victory waltz as he cruised to a five-stroke victory over Ben Curtis, the largest winning margin in the event's short six-year history.

Kim also smashed the tournament record low score, finishing with a 16-under total of 272, while Curtis (65) shot the day's lowest round to claim second place on 11 under.

"This is what I've been dreaming about my whole life, and fulfilling this dream is awesome," said Kim, who was born in California of Korean parents.

"It's been a long ride but it sure is worth it. I'm a little numb right now but that walk up 18 was the best feeling of my entire life.

"I had chills going up and down my spine. I knew my life was changing on the green when I was lining up that putt. All these emotions starting running through me and I realised what I had done."

Kim has been tagged as a potential superstar since finishing tied second in his first tour event in 2006. He was a respectable 60th on last year's money list, but was held back, as he freely admits, by his own immaturity.

"I think I've grown up this week," he said. "I was an immature kid last year. If I'd won last year my practising would have gone down to even less, and there wasn't much to go down.

"It might have been the best thing for me, just to get slapped in the face and realise I can't win out there without practising and giving it my all and focusing on every shot. That did wonders for me this year."

Heath Slocum, who played with Kim during the final round, was certainly impressed, saying: "From the get-go, he put his foot on the gas and never let off. That was very, very impressive."

It is tempting to suggest Kim might be the one to finally challenge Tiger Woods, but that is a bit premature. Woods, after all, had won seven PGA Tour titles by the same age.

And as Robert Allenby, who 15 years ago was also rated as a potential superstar, pointed out, golf is very much a mind game, and the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune have sabotaged many a promising career.

"He has a lot of talent and a great swing," fourth-placed Allenby said. "When you're young, you've got to make the most of it, because once you get a little older, that's when the brain starts thinking too much, and you get in the way of yourself.

"Today he's just let himself go and just freed up, and that's why he's playing so well."

Kim, who received $1,152,000 to jump to sixth on this year's money list, also vaulted into contention for the American Ryder Cup team.

With Boo Weekley also in the running, Paul Azinger's line-up to take on the Europeans in September could have some much-needed new blood.

"I haven't even thought about that," said Kim - but that may well change.

Collated final round scores & totals

(USA unless stated, par 72):

272 Anthony Kim 70 67 66 69

277 Ben Curtis 69 71 72 65

278 Jason Bohn 68 67 72 71

279 Robert Allenby (Aus) 70 70 73 66

280 Dudley Hart 71 67 70 72, Heath Slocum 71 68 68 73

281 Jim Furyk 71 67 71 72

282 Rodney Pampling (Aus) 71 70 75 66, Adam Scott (Aus) 72 73 66 71, Stewart Cink 73 70 65 74, Fred Couples 72 69 69 72

283 Phil Mickelson 68 74 69 72, Hunter Mahan 71 70 71 71, Dean Wilson 71 69 74 69, Pat Perez 72 73 65 73, Jesper Parnevik (Swe) 71 74 71 67

284 Vijay Singh (Fij) 70 70 70 74, J.B. Holmes 71 72 69 72, Mathew Goggin (Aus) 71 72 73 68, Ryuji Imada (Jpn) 71 73 70 70, David Toms 67 75 72 70

285 George McNeill 71 67 76 71, Steve Flesch 73 68 71 73, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 70 70 69 76

286 Brian Davis (Eng) 74 70 71 71, Kevin Stadler 75 70 71 70, Paul Goydos 71 69 75 71, Zach Johnson 69 76 71 70, John Senden (Aus) 72 71 71 72, Ian Poulter (Eng) 71 71 74 70, James Driscoll 70 72 74 70, Parker McLachlin 73 72 72 69, Charles Howell III 75 68 70 73

287 Michael Allen 73 70 73 71, John Merrick 69 71 73 74, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 71 72 74 70, Ken Duke 73 72 71 71, Todd Hamilton 72 71 72 72, Stephen Ames (Can) 69 75 74 69

288 Nick Watney 73 69 71 75, Brad Adamonis 70 70 74 74, Robert Garrigus 74 68 72 74, Andres Romero (Arg) 72 71 72 73, Nick O'Hern (Aus) 71 70 71 76, Tommy Armour III 74 68 74 72, Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 73 71 74 70, Steve Marino 69 71 74 74, Justin Bolli 73 71 73 71

289 Kenny Perry 74 71 73 71, Shaun Micheel 76 69 71 73, Boo Weekley 72 70 76 71, Troy Matteson 71 73 74 71, D.J. Trahan 71 73 73 72

290 Jeff Quinney 69 73 73 75

291 Billy Mayfair 74 67 76 74, Jay Williamson 70 70 77 74, Camilo Villegas (Col) 69 70 77 75, Carlos Franco (Par) 72 70 75 74, Rocco Mediate 72 72 73 74, Brandt Snedeker 73 69 76 73, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 72 73 74 72

292 Patrick Sheehan 74 71 73 74, Y. E Yang (Kor) 73 69 76 74, Nathan Green (Aus) 73 72 70 77, Steve Lowery 70 72 77 73, Matt Kuchar 73 72 73 74

293 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 70 72 77 74, Mark Wilson 74 71 71 77

295 Lucas Glover 73 70 72 80

296 Rich Beem 72 71 75 78, Nick Flanagan (Aus) 69 75 74 78

300 Angel Cabrera (Arg) 71 74 73 82