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The fascination far exceeds the substance, but that is the allure of Anthony Kim. A one-time golf star in the making, he dropped out of sight almost as quickly as he emerged, his time away from the game growing his legend as he’s barely been seen or heard from in the past 12 years.
Kim, now 38, is set to make his return this week in, of all places, Saudi Arabia. He’s reportedly been signed to a “wild card” deal by the LIV Golf League and will compete in the third event of 2024, LIV Golf Jeddah, starting Friday.
Although LIV Golf has yet to confirm Kim’s commitment, two sources told Sports Illustrated that he is set to join the 54-player field for at least three events.
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Two social media sites with close ties to LIV Golf, @FlushingIt and @LIVGolfUpdates, both reported the news first over the weekend. Golf Channel also reported that Kim would be joining the league this week.
A deal is said to be performance-based but surely must include some provisions regarding the insurance policy that has been reported as part of every reason why Kim never returned in the first place.
A three-time winner on the PGA Tour before age 25, Kim starred in a U.S. Ryder Cup victory in 2008 and again at the Presidents Cup in 2009. He set the record for birdies in a Masters round with 11 at Augusta National in 2011 and had a swagger and flamboyance that made him a must-watch.
A high school phenom in California, Kim played three years at the University of Oklahoma before turning pro. But injuries derailed him, including an Achilles tendon surgery following the 2012 Wells Fargo Championship. He has not played since.
That is so long ago that Tiger Woods had yet to endure the first of five back procedures and Jordan Spieth had yet to turn pro.
As part of his retreat from the game, Kim allegedly cashed a $10 million insurance policy that was tied to him never playing professionally again. It made sense as the years went by and the infrequent sights or reports of his existence surfaced.
But last month, Golf.com reported that Kim was considering a return. He had explored options with potential sponsors as well as with the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, which had reached out to him as long as two years ago.
As much of a boost as Kim would potentially give LIV Golf, there were fears that it would backfire if he were not ready. It seems that LIV Golf has vetted Kim’s desire and commitment to come back.
And the league still will face criticism. Again this past week, commissioner Greg Norman and 2020 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau criticized the Official World Golf Ranking for not including LIV. It is a continuing topic of debate as LIV players see their ranking plummet and possibly major opportunities missed.
Bringing on a player such as Kim who hasn’t played in 12 years does not help those arguments for legitimacy, but to be fair, it seems there would have been plenty of PGA Tour events willing to give Kim a sponsor’s exemption, too. As a past champion, he’d still have some status in that category, and a player such as Kim is exactly for which sponsor invites were intended.
The curiosity factor alone would be bound to bring eyeballs, regardless of where Kim plays.
And that makes starting in Jeddah an interesting choice. The tournament is unlikely to have more than a few thousand spectators per day, if that, at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, which is actually in King Abdullah Economic City, more than an hour from Jeddah. The U.S. broadcast will not be shown live and—with an 11:15 a.m. local start—means a 3:15 a.m. ET start in the U.S. for those who watch via streaming.
Perhaps that is a way for Kim to have some time to ease into tournament golf. The following week, LIV Golf plays in Hong Kong and then will be in Miami the week prior to the Masters.
While Kim won’t be part of LIV’s 13 teams—LIV has two extra spots and one is going to Hudson Swafford—he’ll undoubtedly have plenty of support. It only helps LIV Golf if Kim shows some form, and yet with the 54-hole no-cut format, he’s assured of making money each week. Undoubtedly there would be opportunity for him to stay on if appropriate.
So now we wait. First, for an official announcement from LIV Golf that this is, indeed, happening. And then to see what kind of game Kim’s still got and how well he adapts after such a long time away.
