Next goal for Kim? Winning on the LIV Golf League

Anthony Kim is ready to compete in 2026.

After two seasons of working through the rust, rediscovering his swing with countless hours on the range and rebuilding the foundation that once made him one of golf’s most electrifying talents, the 40-year-old wants to contend for victories.

“Winning golf tournaments. That’s what I’m here to do,” he said after earning a wild card spot on LIV Golf for 2026 after Sunday’s final Promotions round. “That's why I'm practicing. I've said it a million times; I wouldn't be here practicing, trying to get 100% better every day, to finish third or finish 10th. That's not my goal.”

The first two years for Kim were about survival. Coming off a 12-year absence marked by multiple surgeries, addiction struggles and an eye-opening moment when doctors told him he only had a few weeks to live, Kim stepped back into elite competition in 2024 having no idea what shape his game was in.

“I had no gauge of where my game would be, how quickly it could come back,” he reflected. “There were definitely low moments throughout those two years. But I believe in myself more than anybody else believes in me, and I think that's all that matters.”

Part of Kim’s strategic approach to playing golf is to take what the course gives him rather than attacking pins in the aggressive style that he was known for when he was a young professional. The new version of Kim realizes he doesn’t have the skill set to overpower golf courses anymore and must rely on hitting fairways and lean on his superb short game to score.

One example of Kim employing his matured strategy occurred on the 13th hole of the final round at LIV Golf Promotions when Kim found himself underneath a tree with a root near his golf ball. Instead of going for a miracle shot, he took the safe route, managing to get the ball safely on the green.

“I think that's where some of the patience and some of the management has shown is in that situation, I would try to do something either heroic or stupid, and 85% of that would be stupid because there's no way to stop the ball close to the hole,” he said. “But I would have tried to do something different than I did, but I took my medicine there and had a nice two-putt from 35 feet.”

Last season, Kim ranked 51st on LIV Golf in driving distance. While that could improve as he continues to make progress, he’ll never be one of the longest hitters in the league. Therefore, he must rely on his short game to compete.

“I think I hit it about the same as far as distance, but the other guys have gotten longer because of technology. My strength before I left the game was hitting the middle of the face, and I got a lot out of that,” he recalled. “As to where the technology has made it so guys don't have to hit it in the middle of the face, that's just part of the game and that's where the game has evolved to. Unfortunately for me, that means I'm further back than the other guys. But I chip and putt as good as almost anybody. I feel like if I get on the green, I've got a chance, I can bury it.”

Family remains the fuel for Kim. His wife Emily and daughter Bella pulled him through the darkness and gave him reason to keep going.

“Spending time with my wife and daughter became a key to me getting back into the game,” he said.

Three years ago, simply standing upright was a victory for the former prodigy. Now, it’s about earning points, contending week in and week out, and chasing the trophies he once collected so effortlessly.

"Three years ago, doctors had told me that I potentially had two weeks to live," Kim said. "So just to be here standing in front of you guys is a blessing. I'm so grateful that God has given me this opportunity to showcase what I'm best at, and hopefully I'll be holding a trophy soon.”

Although Kim still has a long way to go before he’s beating the likes of Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, it would be foolish to rule him out.

“Who knows if I'll get there,” he said. “But that's my mindset. I'm a competitor.”