Anthony Kim's Adelaide shock vaults him into major-chase position
Anthony Kim’s stunning victory at LIV Adelaide has transformed a comeback story into a plausible run at the 2026 major championships. The win — his first in 16 years and achieved over top names on the circuit — sent him surging up the Official World Golf Ranking and opened multiple routes into golf’s biggest events this spring and summer.
Ranking change and a landmark win rewrote the math
The most consequential development for Kim was a rule change that brought LIV Golf into the official world ranking system. With LIV events now awarding world ranking points to top finishers, Kim benefitted dramatically from his Adelaide triumph. He jumped from 847th to 203rd in the OWGR after the victory, a leap that immediately altered what’s realistic for the remainder of the season.
Beyond the raw points, the win itself was notable for its statement value. It halted a long drought, beat a field that included elite names, and propelled Kim into contention in the LIV Individual standings, where he currently sits near the top after the Adelaide performance.
Paths to each major and the deadlines he faces
With his ranking surge, Kim now has tangible pathways into all four majors, though the routes vary in difficulty and timing.
MAGIC AT AUGUSTA: The Masters, scheduled for April 9-12, 2026 (ET), remains the toughest target. The key entry mechanism for most players is a spot inside the top 50 of the OWGR by April 6, 2026 (ET). Kim’s current rise to 203rd is promising, but he will need more high finishes — likely another win or two in the short run — to climb into that elite band before the cutoff.
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: The PGA Championship’s world-ranking window tends to be more generous, with invitations often extended to players well inside the top 100. That gives Kim more breathing room and time than the Masters timeline, making Aronimink a more attainable goal if he can sustain strong LIV results.
U. S. OPEN: The U. S. Open provides two clear avenues. One is the standard world-ranking route: players inside the top 60 by May 18, 2026 (ET) typically secure spots. The other is a new special exemption designed for LIV players. For 2026, the top LIV player not otherwise exempt and ranked in the top three of the LIV Individual standings by May 18, 2026 (ET) will earn a direct exemption into the U. S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. After Adelaide, Kim sits second in the LIV Individual standings, placing that automatic route squarely within reach.
THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: While exact exemption mechanics vary, world-ranking form often determines entry into the Open as well. Kim’s OWGR climb makes a start at a links major a distinct possibility if he continues to post top results over the coming months.
What Kim needs next and the outlook
Time is the limiting factor for some targets and not for others. With only a handful of LIV events before the Masters cutoff, the fastest road to Augusta is additional victories or very high finishes to accelerate his world-ranking climb. The PGA and Open offer slightly more runway, but each requires consistent elite play.
For the U. S. Open, the LIV Individual standings offer the clearest short-term objective: remain inside the top three through mid-May and the special exemption could lock him into Shinnecock Hills even if the world-ranking climb is incomplete.
Kim’s Adelaide result changed perceptions overnight — it converted a comeback narrative into actionable major-chase scenarios. The next several LIV events will determine whether this leap remains a fleeting headline or becomes the prelude to a return to golf’s biggest stages.
