All signs point toward Anthony Kim ending his 12-year absence by playing the LIV Golf event in Saudi Arabia, with the latest indication a video tease from Greg Norman on Monday.
Kim was a raw talent who broke the country club image in golf with his belt buckles and bling, winning three times on the PGA Tour and playing in one Ryder Cup in 2008 at Valhalla, where he secured a spirited win over Sergio Garcia. He rose as high as No. 6 in the world.
The 30-second clip on X showed vague images of Kim, now 38, accompanied by Norman posting, “He oozes incredible talent. The world has seen it in the past and now it is an honour as Commissioner of LIV Golf to give the opportunity for this star to be reborn.”
This followed initial reports from Golf.com in January that Kim was gearing up for a potential return, a post on X from an account called Flushing It (the first to report Jon Rahm leaving for LIV in December) over the weekend that Kim had agreed to terms with Saudi-funded LIV and a story on Golf Channel citing sources confirming the move.
A LIV Golf spokeswoman said in an email there would be “nothing official-official” on Monday.
Kim is expected to play as a wild card — meaning he would not be affiliated with any of the 13 teams — at LIV Golf Jeddah that begins Friday in Saudi Arabia.
Kim last competed in May 2012 at the Wells Fargo Championship, where he shot 74 and walked straight to his car and left. He ruptured his Achilles tendon getting ready for 2013 season, and then had a herniated disk.
In a 2015 interview with The Associated Press — his most recent interview — he said his injuries included a rotator cuff, labrum, spinal fusion and his hand, and that he had gone through at least six surgeries. He also said he was getting monthly payments from an insurance policy that cost “well into the mid-six figures” when he took it out in 2010 in case of injury.
LIV Golf has two individual players this year. Hudson Swafford has a deal to play in all 13 tournaments, while Laurie Canter played in the first two events.
Kim grew up in Los Angeles and played at Oklahoma before turning pro in 2006. He won at Quail Hollow (Wells Fargo Championship) and Congressional (AT&T National) in 2008, and his last win was the Houston Open in 2010. He had a thumb injury that year that kept him from being chosen for the Ryder Cup team.
Kim was particularly spunky in his lone Ryder Cup in 2008, beating Garcia a 5-and-4. Stewart Cink, who turns 51 in May, and J.B. Holmes are the only players from that U.S. team who still have full status on the PGA Tour.
Kim also played in the Presidents Cup at Harding Park in 2009. Robert Allenby accused Kim of partying all night in San Francisco the night before singles, sharing the story after Kim had recorded a 5-and-3 victory over him.
LIV Golf events are 54 holes with no cut, and most of the top players have been signed to lucrative deals to join the league.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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