"I'm on a mission to prove to myself that I can win again." In February 2024, Anthony Kim had a simple objective. Play against the best and win against the best. Having stepped away from the sport in 2012 with tendon damage, a ruptured Achilles, and lingering wrist issues, the exit stung because he was at the peak of his powers.

Back in 2010, he had just become the fifth player in thirty years to have won thrice on the PGA Tour before turning 25. However, following an Achilles surgery, Kim put golf behind himself, not even playing in charity events. Almost 21 months after returning, he looks like he's on track to achieving his goals.

Playing at the Saudi International this year, Anthony was candid. "I've had some very dark moments. I've had some very low moments. I felt very alone, even when there's a million people around," Anthony Kim told LIV Golf's David Feherty before he made his comeback. Just a little while later, he finished T5 at the event. Let's see what that performance looked like.

Anthony Kim opened with rounds of 67 and 64, his lowest score in over a decade. Though Saturday’s 69 could’ve been better, even he found it unbelievable. “I think eight months ago this would have been a 76 and probably would have lost a few shots just based on frustration.”

But still, he held it together with four birdies and stayed in the fight. Even his final-round 70 showed how far he’s come. For instance, in the second round of the PIF Saudi International, he shot a bogey-free 7 under par, 65.

By the end of the week, Kim finished 13-under and T5 at Riyadh Golf Club, his best result since returning to pro golf and a performance that outshined his entire 2024 LIV season. Moreover, he had made cuts in four of his five International Series starts before this, including T43 at Singapore, T63 in Hong Kong, and T44 in Jakarta. But none of those hinted at a top-five run like this.

What was his secret? Well, as Kim explained, "My wife told me that if I make less bogeys than birdies my score will be good, so I followed that direction well today... "

And with birdies and bogeys, what’s ahead for the 40-year-old golfer?

What’s Next for Anthony Kim?

Anthony Kim’s T5 finish at the PIF Saudi International didn’t earn him a direct LIV Golf card for 2026, but it did something arguably more important: it reopened doors. "I haven’t been able to swing like I have been in practice rounds and back at home in tournament golf, but it’s starting to show up and starting to feel more comfortable out here," he explained.

This puts him in a good position to be considered a potential choice for the next International Series stages. In fact, these tournaments are still the most obvious route for him to get back to the LIV League. However, he will have to accumulate more top finishes, raise his rank on the Order of Merit, and show that the performance in Saudi Arabia was not a fluke.

If his trajectory continues upward, Kim isn’t just fighting for a place in LIV. He’s fighting to reclaim his place in modern golf. What are your thoughts on Anthony Kim’s comeback? Do tell us in the comments below!

Written by

Dolly Bhamrick

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar