Anthony Kim Caps Unlikely Return with LIV Golf Adelaide Victory
Anthony Kim delivered one of the sport’s most improbable comeback stories, closing with a 9-under 63 to claim victory at LIV Golf Adelaide and register his first tour win in nearly 16 years. The 40-year-old American finished three shots clear after a sensational run of birdies down the stretch.
Historic finish and late-round fireworks
Kim, playing in shorts in front of a large Adelaide gallery, caught fire on the back nine with four consecutive birdies on holes 12 through 15. He holed putts of 17, 11, 14 and 17 feet during that stretch and followed with a 15-foot birdie on the par-4 17th to build a three-shot advantage entering the final hole. A missed 20-foot birdie try on 18 left him tapping in for par to complete a 23-under tournament and a closing 63 that stunned the field.
Jon Rahm carded a 71 to finish second, while Bryson DeChambeau’s 74 left him in a tie for third alongside Tyrell Hatton and Peter Uihlein at 17 under. Kim’s performance included his best LIV finish by a wide margin and stood as a reminder of the potent ball-striking and scoring touch that once had him ranked among the world’s elite.
From hiatus to redemption
Kim’s return has been anything but straightforward. He stepped away from competitive golf for roughly 12 years amid well-documented personal struggles with substance use, and his path back required navigating qualifying events just to regain status on the tour for the new season. He had been relegated at the end of a previous season and forced to earn his way back through a Promotions event in January, where a third-place showing bought him another opportunity.
Once back in play, Kim showed signs of regaining the form that propelled him as high as No. 6 in the world in 2008 and helped him earn a spot on a victorious U. S. Ryder Cup team that year. His last official victory before Adelaide had come at the 2010 Houston Open, making this title his first in nearly 16 years. "For it to actually happen is pretty insane, " Kim said after his round. He added a message aimed at others confronting adversity: "Nobody else has to believe in me but me. And, for anybody that’s struggling, you can get through anything. "
Team implications and next steps
On the team front, a quartet of Australians claimed the team competition in Adelaide for a second straight week, while Kim’s own team finished third. Kim joined a high-profile roster earlier in his return season, filling a vacancy created late in the offseason. His selection followed a brief administrative scare when he almost missed the Adelaide event because of visa issues, which were resolved before tee times.
Kim’s victory is more than a headline result; it deepens a tentatively rebuilt narrative about a once-dominant player finding his way back. At 40, he has shown he can still produce low scores under pressure and remain a compelling figure on the circuit. For now, his focus will be on building consistency and seeing how far this second act can go, while the rest of the field recalibrates to the reality that Kim is capable of firing low rounds and contending on any given week.
