HONG KONG – Yes, of course Anthony Kim devoured the highlights of his triumph two weeks ago at LIV Golf Adelaide. His first victory after an unbelievable 12-1/2 year absence from professional golf! And yes, the clips? He didn't just watch them once. More like... quite often. Perhaps a bit too often. “Enough is enough, I’ll stop now,” he quipped on Tuesday as he prepared for the upcoming HSBC LIV Golf Hong Kong. This marks his first tee-off since he set the golf world ablaze with his dramatic comeback victory in Australia – when he clinically surged past 54-hole co-leaders Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau. But this victory, dear golf community, was not just about overcoming a five-shot deficit. No, it was a battle against the deepest abysses of personal despair, with addictions that not only threatened to destroy his life but could have ended it. It was also a comeback from a golf game that, according to his own words, was simply “abysmal” just over two years ago when he returned from retirement to compete in LIV Golf. That's why his story has deeply touched not only the entire golf world, but the sports world in general – and beyond. AK struck a chord: a story full of hope, showing that giving up is not an option and that the determination to improve can lead to unbelievably positive results. No matter how bleak the situation might seem.
Anthony Kim of 4Aces GC celebrates with his wife Emily and daughter Bella on the 18th green after the final round of LIV Golf Adelaide 2026. (Photo: Charles Laberge/LIV Golf)
“It wasn’t about golf,” Kim said. “It was about setting goals, being resilient, and overcoming obstacles in life. I made a lot of bad decisions, that was my own fault. But the only way to overcome that is to confront it and deal with it directly.” “The love and support I’ve received has been incredible. I’m usually driven by negativity, so this was very unusual. But I think a lot of people saw their own families, their own struggles in me, and I think that’s why the response was so huge.” For some, the comeback may have come out of nowhere – although his play in recent months clearly showed he was on the right track and making truly strong strides. At the end of November, he secured his first top-10 finish since his return: a T5 at the PIF Saudi International. In early January, at the LIV Golf Promotions, to reclaim a spot in the league after relegation, he holed an absolutely crucial birdie putt just to even make it into the 36-hole final. Then he snatched the third and final available spot. After competing as a wild card at the season opener in Riyadh, Kim was signed by 4Aces GC – the formidable...
