After an 11+ year hiatus, Anthony Kim is back.
In what seemed like every year since 2015, we have had teasers and rumors of a Kim return, and each time there was hype and excitement around the idea. This time it finally happened. AK is coming back to play golf, except this time it won’t be on the PGA Tour. Greg Norman and LIV Golf have lured Kim off his couch and back onto the links officially announced by the league early this morning (Although unofficially confirmed last week).
Kim won 3 career events on the PGA Tour between 2008 and 2010. His style, personality and performance in the 2008 Ryder Cup made a fan favorite. In 122 events on the PGA Tour, Kim made 84 cuts, including 17 top-5 finishes, 4 runner-ups and 3 wins. His last events came in the 2012 season where he struggled mightily making only 2 cuts in 10 starts. Injuries ultimately did him in, and it was rumored that a hefty insurance payout lead Kim to call it a career at the age of 27.
Fast forward 11 years, AK is back, and I couldn’t be more psyched. I get he’s returning to the LIV Tour, but it makes perfect sense for him. For one, guaranteed money makes a return that much easier. We still don’t know the details of his insurance payout, if he has to pay it back, or if there was a timeframe in which he couldn’t play competitive golf. But whatever it is, LIV made it worthwhile for him.
Kim would get minimal starts on the PGA Tour as he would only be categorized as a previous tour winner which can get you into some alternate events that need to fill fields (Why you’ll see guys like Hunter Mahan sometimes in fields). He could also get sponsor invites, but only so many of those can go around. So LIV Golf makes perfect sense for him.
Kim will play on LIV as a “Wild Card” meaning he won’t be playing on a team, but can compete for the individual prize money. Each LIV event has 2 players that play as a wild card, this week it is Anthony Kim and Hudson Swafford.
Kim has said he will tell his story in the near future, but this week he is focused on getting back into the swing of things.
Golf needs stories like this and whether it’s on a tour you disagree with or not, getting people to watch golf is the ultimate goal. (Although greens fees all around the country may indicate golf is still doing ok). But I love golf and I love to consume golf as much as I can. There are few players that make golf appointment watching and I am most certainly intrigued by his return and will check out how he does.
What do you think about Kim making a return to golf? How will he play? Can someone take 11 years off of professional golf and dive right back into things? We will find out. But I do know this, if Kim was returning to the PGA Tour via sponsor invite, this story would lead the headlines all week on the Golf Channel, so it’s only fair to let LIV have this moment. AK will be paired with Cam Smith and Graeme McDowell in the 1st round on Friday. New this week also, every player will be mic’d up.
How to Watch: LIV JEDDAH
FRI – SUN March 1-3
3:15AM EST
LIV+ App
CaffeinTV
CW Network (After Dawsons Creek Prolly)
