The first time Anthony Kim felt ready to play professional golf again after years of struggle, he was not grinding on a range or working with a coach. He was playing a casual round with his wife, Emily, using her clubs. Weeks after winning LIV Golf Adelaide, he made sure that part of the story was told.
Kim shared a post on his Insta story where there were videos from his winning moment alongside his wife, posted by 4 Aces. And while reposting, he wrote, “So proud of my wife @emilybstanley, not many like her these days. I couldn’t have done this without her. She doesn’t ever ask for acknowledgment but she deserves it, so if u support me share this post. We hope everyone finds themselves an ‘Emily’.”
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After stepping away from professional golf in 2012, Kim battled addiction to drugs and alcohol, describing his lowest points as a dark hole where ending his life felt like an option. Emily never walked away from any of it. And when she did speak about those years, she did not reach for comforting language.
“Nobody really knows the dark moments we went through and what it takes to get yourself out of the space you were in,” she said.
Emily’s role in AK’s comeback is crucial. Rather than pushing Anthony Kim back toward professional golf, she asked him to teach her to play. The couple began hitting casual rounds two to four times a week, and Kim has said he started believing he could compete again while using Emily’s clubs, which had pink grips. She then made the case that returning to LIV Golf was a chance to provide for their family and set an example for Bella.
Former LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman credited her approach with giving Anthony Kim a “safe haven” back into a game that had once brought him only pressure. The 40-year-old returned as a wildcard in 2024, and on February 12, 2026, officially joined Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces GC as a full team member. And he made sure to make the most of the opportunity.
Credits: Anthony Kim/Instagram
He shot a 9-under 63 in the final round to beat Jon Rahm by three shots and win $4 million in Adelaide. After 12 years away from professional golf due to injuries, a reported $10 million-plus insurance policy that would have been voided if he returned to the PGA Tour, and a personal battle with addiction, it was his first win in 5,795 days since the 2010 Shell Houston Open.
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In his post-win Instagram caption, Kim wrote: “While people saw me finally make a few putts on Sunday in Adelaide, this was a KIM family win. Being alive and able to experience life with @emilybstanley and Bella is the REAL win.”
Emily was on the 18th green when he won, celebrating with Bella beside her. And for once, she let herself say something publicly.
“ALL the feels. YOU did it, daddy. WOW. I will never get over this. It’s been a couple of days, but I’m still emotional and at a loss for words. I never doubted you for a second. I always knew this would happen, it was just a matter of time. All of your hard work, sacrifice, and dedication are paying off, and nobody deserves this more than you.”
The win in Adelaide landed on the same day Anthony Kim marked three years of sobriety. He had once described those years away from golf as a “dark hole” where ending his life felt like the only option.
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For the golfer, the scoreboard in Adelaide told one story. But the fuller picture has always been something far more personal.
Beyond the Course: Anthony Kim and Emily Give Back
In March 2026, while competing at LIV Golf Hong Kong, Kim announced that he and Emily would donate 1% of his prize money to a mental health charity in every city where LIV Golf holds an event throughout the season.
Kim took to social media, asking his followers to suggest organizations that could benefit, making it a community effort from the start. The initiative kicked off in Hong Kong. Anthony Kim’s choice shows how far he has come as a person. He fought addiction and talked openly about suicidal thoughts during his darkest years.
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Emily, who has quietly supported Kim through recovery and his return to golf, says the initiative reflects their values. What began as one woman encouraging her husband to pick up a club has grown beyond the fairways.
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