LIV Golf Adelaide – Anthony Kim’s miracle return

Final leaderboard

• -23 Anthony Kim (US)

• -20 Jon Rahm (Spa)

• -17 Bryson DeChambeau (US), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Peter Uihlein (US)

  Selected: -15 Cameron Smith (Aus); -13 Graeme McDowell (NI); -12 Dustin Johnson (US)

First win in 16 years. First start back just last season.

Anthony Kim’s victory in Adelaide wasn’t just a leaderboard story — it was one of the most remarkable personal comebacks in modern golf.

The 40-year-old American disappeared from professional golf in 2012 after injuries. What followed were:

• Battles with drug and alcohol addiction

• Financial exploitation by “scam artists” and “snakes”

• Mental health struggles, including suicidal thoughts

He returned to competition via LIV Golf in 2024 as a wildcard.

Now, in 2026, he has his first title since the 2010 Houston Open.

The round that changed everything

Kim began Sunday five shots behind Rahm and DeChambeau.

He finished with:

• Nine birdies

• Final-round 63

• Tournament total: 23-under

Rahm closed with 71.

DeChambeau stumbled to a 74.

The comeback was complete.

“I wasn’t able to enjoy it in my twenties”

Kim’s post-round words carried more weight than the trophy:

“With the support of my wife, my daughter and my mum, I knew anything was possible.”

He admitted that during his early PGA Tour success — including being the youngest member of the victorious 2008 Ryder Cup team — he wasn’t emotionally equipped to appreciate the moment.

This time, he was.

From Ryder Cup star to disappearance

In 2008, Kim became the first American under 25 since Tiger Woods to win two PGA Tour events in the same year.

He was seen as golf’s next global superstar.

Then injuries hit.

Then silence.

For 12 years.

No social media presence.

No competitive golf.

No public appearances.

A message beyond golf

After lifting the trophy, Kim delivered something more important than a winner’s speech:

“For anybody that’s struggling, you can get through anything.”

In elite sport — where image often replaces honesty — that vulnerability resonated.

Why this win matters

This wasn’t just:

• A LIV Golf headline

• A nostalgia story

• A flashback to a Ryder Cup prodigy

It was proof that elite athletic careers are not always linear — and that redemption arcs can exist in professional sport.

Kim’s journey now becomes one of LIV Golf’s most powerful narratives.

And whether you follow the PGA Tour or LIV, this was bigger than tours.

It was about survival.