Anthony Kim completes improbable comeback with dominant win at LIV Australia
Anthony Kim ended a 16-year victory drought early Sunday morning ET, capturing the LIV Australia title at Royal Adelaide in a stirring return to competitive golf. The 40-year-old produced a flawless final round to seal a three-shot victory and deliver one of the sport’s most talked-about comebacks.
The final round and dramatic finish
Kim closed with a bogey-free, nine-under performance that featured four consecutive birdies and five birdies in six holes to pull clear of a chasing group that included major champions. He finished at 23-under par to win by three shots. The closing stretch became an emotional scene: thousands of spectators surged onto the 18th fairway as Kim sealed the title with a tap-in par, and teammates doused him in celebratory fizzy water. Kim embraced his wife and young daughter on the green moments after the victory.
"I don’t really know what to say right now, " Kim said through tears. "It’s a bit overwhelming, but I’m never not gonna 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 had to believe in me but me. "
From disappearance to the winner’s circle
Kim’s win is the latest chapter in a career that once seemed destined for the highest peaks, then vanished from public view. His last win came in 2010, and he stepped away from top-level competition for more than a decade amid injuries and off-course struggles. He returned to competition in March 2024 and has since worked his way back onto the stage, addressing personal battles publicly and marking a sobriety milestone: he will celebrate three years sober on Feb. 20, 2026 (ET).
After being relegated from the breakaway circuit at the end of the 2025 season, Kim earned his way back into the field by finishing third at a promotions event in January, which secured his spot for the 2026 campaign. He joined a headline-making team roster for the season and overcame an early administrative hiccup — a visa oversight that briefly threatened his entry into Australia — before being cleared to compete on Feb. 8 (ET).
Fans and peers alike have watched Kim’s process closely. His weekend at Royal Adelaide suggested a player who has recaptured a competitive edge, delivering not just flashes of his former brilliance but a complete, composed final round under pressure.
Implications for Kim and the season ahead
The victory carries significant practical rewards: a $4 million first prize and the potential to climb as high as 200th in the world rankings. Beyond prize money and points, the triumph will be measured in momentum and narrative. For Kim, it answers lingering questions about durability and intent; for the season, it injects one of the sport’s most compelling human-interest stories into tournament storylines moving forward.
Kim acknowledged the weight of the moment while extending gratitude to those who supported him through his lowest points. "For anybody that’s struggling right now, you can get through anything, " he said. As the calendar turns and the tour heads to its next stop, attention will now shift to whether Kim can sustain this level of play and how this win reshapes team dynamics and rankings in the weeks to come.
