Anthony Kim is still alive and he might LIV it up on tour again…

Ronan MacNamara
|
|

Anthony Kim in action at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2012 (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Ronan MacNamara

Feature Interviews

Latest Stories

This is your annual reminder that Anthony Kim is still alive.

Kim’s name resurfaces upon occasion whether it be in an article or if he has been sighted by somebody somewhere, but his latest brief dip into the spotlight is a peculiar one.

Sixth in the world, three PGA Tour wins before the age of 25, excellent Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup performances and some wacky belt buckles. Kim had it all before he disappeared from view. But he might be coming back.

play-sharp-fill

The exhilarating American hasn’t hit a competitive golf shot in anger since withdrawing from the Wells Fargo Championship in 2012 – for the third time in a row and fourth in ten events.

Kim or ‘AK’ had swagger, style and charisma and firmly put bums on seats when it came to Sunday night entertainment, reeling off three PGA Tour wins between 2008-10 while he was also third at the 2010 Masters.

His stock couldn’t have been higher when he starred for USA in the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla, humbling Sergio García in the Sunday singles as Paul Azinger’s USA romped to their first victory since 1999.

A hand injury disrupted most of his 2010 season but it’s an infamous achilles injury that blighted his career two years later before he ultimately disappeared from the fairways without a trace… until now.

In a feature with the New York Times, Kim filtered through his career, with some anecdotes as he reflected on what was and what might have been. But he also gave some eye catching thoughts on LIV Golf and he didn’t dismiss the idea of getting the clubs out of the shed, donning a glittery belt buckle and teeing it up on the Saudi backed tour.

Kim’s former caddie Eric Larson, who now loops for Harris English recounted to the New York Times about a recent phonemail where he attempted to entice his former player to join Greg Norman’s charges and give the fans what they want.

“He goes, ‘I don’t know, I really don’t know,’ ” Larson told the New York Times. “I said, ‘Come on, man, get the old clubs out. Go out there and have some fun.’ And he starts laughing at me. He goes, ‘That’s what everybody wants me to do!’”

Kim, now 37 years old is apparently swinging as well as ever and any rumours of his return to competitive action would send his fans into a frenzy.

But any involvement in LIV would be very complicated after he revealed to the Associated Press in 2015 that he was still collecting money from the PGA Tour via an insurance policy which if he returned to competitive action would be revoked.

There is nothing concrete on whether he would be ineligible for those monthly payments if he played on another tour, like LIV.

Any story involving the name Anthony Kim is greeted with equal excitement and curiosity despite (or maybe because of) his mysterious nature. It is unknown whether he has received an offer from LIV, however, it appears he is not entirely uninvolved in legal matters in golfs current chasm.

Bizarrely, he was named in a legal filing in autumn in which LIV sought information from the PGA Tour on prominent names whom the tour may have talked to about LIV.

Anthony Kim, the man, the myth, (still) the legend.

Stay ahead of the game. Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest Irish Golfer news straight to your inbox!

More News

Leave a comment


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy & Terms of Service apply.