Golf’s nice prodigy turned mysterious recluse is returning to the game. Anthony Kim is anticipated to make his return to skilled golf for the primary time in 12 years and play LIV Golf’s occasion in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, this week as a wild card.
LIV commissioner Greg Norman teased Kim’s return in a video on social media Monday, and Kim’s presence on the driving vary didn’t go unnoticed Tuesday. Sports activities Enterprise Journal’s Josh Carpenter snapped a photo of a placard that includes Kim’s identify, after which YouTube golfer Andy Carter posted a video of Kim’s vary session on Instagram.
Kim, now 38, was as soon as considered one of golf’s greatest rising stars who gained two PGA Tour occasions and made a Ryder Cup staff by 23 behind thrilling expertise and an enormous character that reached sections of followers golf typically struggled to succeed in earlier than. Accidents then led to Kim stepping away from skilled golf at 26 and by no means returning.
Kim has develop into a cult-like determine within the time since, partly as a result of he was such a preferred participant with huge potential, but additionally due to the thriller that has shrouded his absence. Throughout his taking part in days, Kim was generally known as a partier who had a sophisticated relationship with how a lot he beloved golf. So when his accidents led to him stepping away and experiences surfaced of him dwelling off an insurance coverage coverage value someplace between $10 and $20 million, it meant solely extra fascination with whether or not or not he truly couldn’t play anymore.
So when Golf.com reported in January that Kim was eyeing a return and was in negotiations with each the PGA Tour and LIV, the intrigue solely skyrocketed. Now, Kim is lastly returning and taking part in with LIV, a league backed by the Public Funding Fund of Saudi Arabia which may seemingly afford to offer Kim a signing bonus to assist with the insurance coverage coverage, along with large purses at occasions. Kim is anticipated to play as a single this week and never a part of LIV’s 13 groups.
The sophisticated ingredient is what Kim’s return means and what to anticipate. Earlier than Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, Kim was golf’s nice younger prodigy, anticipated to take some portion of Tiger Woods’ place in golf’s limelight. The Los Angeles native performed faculty golf at Oklahoma and performed on a successful Walker Cup staff earlier than turning professional at 22. Kim gained two PGA Tour occasions at Quail Hole and TPC Potomac by his second full professional season and have become the primary golfer underneath 25 to win two tour occasions in the identical season since Woods in 2000. By the tip of that 2008 season, Kim was 23, No. 6 on this planet and the highest rising star within the sport.
With an especially aggressive type of play and an outgoing character, Kim instantly grew to become a star in demographics golf didn’t all the time attain. He made the 2008 Ryder Cup staff at 23 years previous — younger for a spot on that staff at the moment — and he famously dominated Sergio Garcia with a 5&4 drubbing because the U.S. gained for the primary time in 9 years. That subsequent spring, Kim went to the 2009 Masters and broke the match document with 11 birdies within the second spherical. Which will have turned out to be his peak.
He by no means truly grew to become the star he was anticipated to be. He solely gained yet another occasion, the Houston Open, and slowly fell from No. 6 on this planet to 24, to 31, to 78 from 2008 to 2012. Accidents have been seemingly a big a part of that, however a lot of the reminiscence of Kim is probably going rooted in 2008 as an alternative of the general image.
He oozes unimaginable expertise. The world has seen it up to now and now it’s an honour as Commissioner of LIV Golf to make it possible for this star to be reborn. Welcome again and to the LIV Golf household mate. The golf world has missed you. pic.twitter.com/HNzsXPgFUp
— Greg Norman (@SharkGregNorman) February 26, 2024
A lot of his rise got here whereas taking part in by means of a thumb damage, which Kim later mentioned he compensated for and created tendonitis in his wrist. In 2012, he withdrew from three tournaments and ultimately ruptured his left Achilles tendon.
However whereas his absence meant Kim didn’t get to develop into the star some hoped for, it additionally meant he didn’t need to undergo the conventional peaks and valleys of a profession. The shine ultimately comes off all younger gamers, however being away meant being frozen in time as a beacon of potential.
Due to this, although, Kim could maintain worth. He’s attention-grabbing to so many who followers could tune in to LIV to see what has develop into of Kim. The subsequent query is how lengthy that curiosity holds if Kim doesn’t play effectively. That half is as much as him.
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(Picture: Michael Cohen / Getty Photos)