Anthony Kim cemented LIV Golf’s biggest story in its four-year timeline when the popular Californian completed his inconceivable comeback from drug, alcohol and mental health struggles with a resounding victory in Australia.
Before shooting a bogey-free 63 to win LIV Golf Adelaide by three shots over Jon Rahm on Sunday, it had been 5,795 days since Kim’s most recent victory worldwide. That was his third PGA Tour title, at the 2010 Shell Houston Open.
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In that time, the Los Angeles native had walked away from pro golf for 12 years, due to injuries, and almost totally disappeared from public life. He would talk later about battling mental health issues and addiction. But by 2021, Kim had turned his life around, became a husband and father, and began practicing his golf game in private. In 2024, he was invited to play LIV Golf as a wildcard player.
Kim, now 40, was relegated from LIV in 2025 only to earn one of three cards through its qualifying school last month. By Saturday night, though, he had played his way into the final group at The Grange Golf Club in Adelaide.
He was five shots behind 54-hole leaders Bryson DeChambeau and Rahm at the outset of the fourth round, and Kim’s win probability was 0.1 percent, according to LIV’s TV analysts.
But statistics can’t account for the unlikely romance of sporting stories like Kim’s. Without doubt it is the biggest and most compelling narrative produced on LIV Golf since the league’s creation in 2022.
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In front of enormous Australian crowds, Kim wound the clock back to the firebrand talent he was when he made a Masters record 11 birdies in a single round at Augusta National in 2009. He played on the U.S. Presidents Cup team that year after he won his first two PGA Tour events in ’08.
In Adelaide, the second event of LIV’s new 72-hole format, Kim made birdies at Nos. 4 and 5 before two more at Nos. 7 and 9. Two-time U.S. Open winner DeChambeau, meanwhile, crumbled with four bogeys in his opening seven holes. Rahm, also a two-time major champion, struggled with his swing and laboured to keep up after the turn. Rahm shot 71 to finish runner up at 20 under. DeChambeau (74) was T-3 at 17 under.
When Kim hit his tee shot to 17 feet at the Party Hole par-3 12th, his subsequent fifth birdie of the round began a two-hour period plenty of golf fans will long remember. Four consecutive birdies began with a greenside bunker save at the par-5 13th, and by the time Kim birdied the par-4 15th, he led by three.
Rahm stayed within two shots before Kim pulled away again with another birdie from 15 feet at the par-4 17th. When Kim, up by three, wielded a long iron into the fairway for his tee shot on the 18th, it was all over.
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“I’m nearly in tears,” former DP World Tour stalwart and Ryder Cupper-turned commentator Nicolas Colsaerts said on the commentary.
Standing over a two-foot par putt on 18, Kim urged the crowd to make some noise before tapping in for a bogey-free 63. His daughter and wife ran onto the green to celebrate Kim’s first worldwide win in nearly 16 years. Or 5,795 days.
His family embrace was fitting, as Kim was asked how he maintained belief during his comeback from the doldrums.
“My family; I don’t really know what to say right now,” Kim said, choking back tears. “It’s been overwhelming. But I’m never not going to fight for my family.
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“God gave me a talent. I was able to produce some good golf today. I knew it was coming. Nobody else has to believe in me but me, and for anybody that’s struggling, you can get through anything.”
Kim is currently ranked 847th on the Official World Golf Ranking and since LIV’s inclusion this season, he should receive almost 23 points for his victory. He also received $4 million for his triumph.
“I don’t really know how to put it into words; I knew this was going to happen, but for it actually happen is pretty insane,” he said. “I just want to thank all the people that have supported me, including you [speaking to commentator Jerry Foltz], who when I was not playing well and I was struggling on the verge of never coming back to LIV, always supported me. Thank you to everyone that’s been in my corner. I’m going to keep doing it.”
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