Anthony Kim’s Adelaide shocker puts him on the brink of major returns
Anthony Kim’s stunning victory at the 2026 LIV Adelaide event has dramatically reset his trajectory. The long-absent star notched his first win in 16 years, leapt hundreds of spots in the Official World Golf Ranking, and now sits with realistic pathways to multiple major championships in 2026.
How the Adelaide victory moved Kim in the world rankings
Kim’s triumph in Adelaide produced the biggest headline: a massive jump in the Official World Golf Ranking. With the OWGR recognizing LIV Golf for the first time ahead of the 2026 season, top-10 finishes in LIV events now earn world ranking points. The immediate impact for Kim was seismic — he vaulted from 847th to 203rd in the OWGR after the weekend.
That climb changes the conversation. While Kim still sits well outside automatic qualification thresholds for some majors, the points he picked up in Adelaide give him a genuine shot at moving into the positions that matter as the spring unfolds. With three LIV tournaments remaining before the Masters, additional high finishes or another win would accelerate his push upward.
Masters and PGA: what Kim needs to do before April and May
The Masters, scheduled for April 9-12, 2026 (ET), presents the steepest challenge. The tournament’s most consistent route for non-invited players is to be within the top 50 of the OWGR by April 6, 2026 (ET). After Adelaide Kim sits 203rd, leaving him needing to climb 153 places in a narrow window. That will likely require at least one more big result — and perhaps two wins — in the remaining early-season LIV events.
The PGA Championship at Aronimink in May is more forgiving from a world-ranking standpoint. Historically, players inside roughly the top 100 of the OWGR ahead of the event have been extended invitations. That puts fewer spots between Kim and a likely PGA berth than the Masters, and he will have more time to accumulate points before the second major.
Both routes hinge on consistent form and strong LIV performances over the next several months. Kim’s Adelaide weekend, which included dominant play against top names, shows he still has the firepower to move quickly through the rankings if he can maintain momentum.
U. S. Open and other pathways into Shinnecock Hills
The U. S. Open at Shinnecock Hills offers Kim multiple avenues. One straightforward option is the world ranking: players inside the top 60 by May 18, 2026 (ET) or the week prior can secure spots. That timeline gives Kim additional events to earn points and climb toward that threshold.
Beyond the OWGR route, a new exemption specifically for LIV competitors provides another clear path. For the 2026 U. S. Open, the top LIV player who is not otherwise exempt and is inside the top three of the 2026 LIV Individual standings as of May 18, 2026 (ET) will receive a special exemption. Kim’s Adelaide win vaulted him to second in the LIV Individual standings, with only one player ahead of him, positioning him squarely within that possibility so long as the players above him are already exempt through other criteria.
There are additional qualifying options as well, including local exemptions into U. S. Open sectional qualifying, but the combination of his current LIV standing and the OWGR boost gives Kim the clearest pair of pathways to the year’s third major.
Kim’s Adelaide victory is more than a headline grabber; it’s a practical pivot. The ranking surge and new eligibility mechanics mean a return to major-championship golf in 2026 is no longer hypothetical — it’s an achievable objective. How many of those routes he converts will depend on form, starts and whether he can string together big results in the coming weeks and months.
