5,769 days marked Anthony Kim's return to greatness, as he reappeared on the LIV Golf green and captured a major championship, heralding the comeback of 'The Next Tiger Woods'.
American golfer Anthony Kim's life has been a rollercoaster. Known for his aggressive, confident, and fast style, between 2008 and 2010, fans dubbed him "The next Tiger Woods" after he won three PGA Tour titles before the age of 25. Before him, only Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Sergio Garcia had achieved this feat.
In 2009, during the Masters, he made 11 birdies in a single round—a record that still stands today.
So what happened that caused him to disappear from professional golf for 12 years?
There are many speculated reasons among fans, but the truth is that chronic injuries sidelined him from 2012 onward. He underwent surgery on his Achilles tendon and faced issues with his shoulder tendons and wrist. Regarding insurance, rumors circulated that he held an injury insurance policy worth between $10 and $20 million, with the condition that "if he returned to professional golf, he would immediately forfeit this payout." This is why many believe he stayed silent to collect the insurance as a livelihood. Anthony Kim once said he almost quit golf forever, but when his daughter Bella started asking about golf and wanted to see him play, he decided to forgo the large insurance payout to make a comeback.
After his return and victory at the LIV Golf event, many noticed his changed appearance and various comments emerged. He had been away from the golf scene for over a decade due to injuries and struggles with substance and alcohol abuse.
Anthony Kim posted on his personal Instagram, sharing about his difficult times, stating:
"It's been two years since I stopped using drugs and alcohol. This is the greatest achievement of my life. When I entered rehab, I could barely walk and needed my coach to help support me because my body was breaking down. The first photo shows the medication I had to take twice daily to safely detox, and the others show moments when my family visited me near the treatment center."
"Not long before that, I had suicidal thoughts almost daily for nearly 20 years. Even while playing on the PGA Tour, I appeared happy to the public, but in reality, I was battling addiction and mental health issues."
Clearly, this comeback would not have been possible without the support of his family—his wife Emily and daughter Bella—as well as friends who encouraged and visited him during rehabilitation. Their faith, love, and respect for him, along with his life goals and desire to prove himself to his wife and daughter, motivated him to give himself another chance.
And indeed, he succeeded. Winning again after 16 years, Kim performed strongly by making birdies on holes 4, 5, 7, and 9, finishing the front nine with a score of 32. On the back nine, he elevated his play further by making birdies on four consecutive holes from 12 through 15, leading to growing celebrations with each successful putt.
This created an impressive phenomenon as fans gathered in full stands to watch Kim play. His return has rekindled anticipation among fans eager to see him compete again, and he delivered a memorable moment by securing this championship.
This championship comeback proves that despite enduring the darkest and most difficult periods of his life, Kim can prevail. Such a return would not have been possible without the encouragement of his family and supporters. Golf fans can look forward to witnessing the greatness of Anthony Kim once more.