The enigmatic figure of Anthony Kim has well and truly returned. 16 years on from his last PGA Tour title at the 2010 Shell Houston Open, Kim won LIV Golf Adelaide by three strokes to complete one of the all-time great comebacks.
His closest challengers were none other than Jon Rahm (-20 – second) and Bryson DeChambeau (-17 – T3rd) as well, while Tyrrell Hatton and Peter Uihlein both also finishing the week T3rd as LIV celebrated an all-time record attendance of over 115,000.
Kim’s crowning moment arrived 12 years after he mysteriously quit the game – which was later revealed to be due to a number of addiction issue and mental-health struggles – and a remarkable 16 years after his most recent pro victory.
But three years sober, the Californian battled back from five strokes adrift at the start of Sunday as Rahm and DeChambeau endured disastrous closing rounds. Rahm shot a one-under 71 and DeChambeau posted a two-over 74.
COMEBACK STORY COMPLETE 🏆ANTHONY KIM WINS LIV GOLF ADELAIDE 2026#LIVGolfAdelaide pic.twitter.com/w3TmrMeuiPFebruary 15, 2026
Reacting to his achievement immediately after the final putt dropped, Kim said: “I don’t really know what to say right now. It’s been overwhelming. But I’m never not going to fight for my family.
“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.
“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.”
After bursting onto the scene as a prodigious talent out of the University of Oklahoma, Kim gained a legion of fans through aggressive and entertaining golf which secured him three PGA Tour titles and a winning Ryder Cup appearance.
He also set the record for the most birdies in any single round at The Masters with 11 in 2009 before finishing third at Augusta National the following year.
Despite seemingly having the world at his feet, Kim fell into the abyss and struggled for years before LIV gave him a chance at redemption in 2024.
Now a father to daughter, Bella, Kim stated he is “a completely different person” and believes he can win even more LIV Golf titles in the years to come.
He said: “Best moment of my life so far. Obviously when Bella was born, Emily’s and my life changed.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
“But to be able to share this moment, even though Bella won’t understand it, one day she will, and for her to be able to run on the green and see her dad isn’t a loser was one of the most special moments of my life.
“I want to be a good example. I would say that I wasn’t the best person, the best partner, the best whatever you want to call it, the best son I could be when I was younger. But who I am today is a completely different person.
“With God, my family, my sobriety being the key things to my life, I can go as far as I want.”
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Kim began his LIV journey as a Wild Card over the first two seasons but a loss of form saw him relegated from the league at the end of 2025.
Nevertheless, the former World No.6 continued to grind and earned his way back through LIV Golf Promotions last December. And once Patrick Reed departed the league to ultimately rejoin the PGA Tour, Kim was signed to Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces as a permanent member of the team.
Suggesting he is only just starting his second golfing journey, Kim said: “Nothing is holding me back. I just have to keep working.
“The ‘1 percent better every day’ thing is a mindset that I’m going to carry with me until the day I die. I don’t see why I can’t make it to the top again.”
date: 2026-02-15 15:04:00
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