KakiGolf
THE CLUBHOUSE => Tour Talk & Golf News => Topic started by: KAKIGOLF on January 27, 2024, 08:09:35 PM
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Anthony Kim may be making a comeback to pro golf after long hiatus
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After a long absence from the sport, a former golf sensation is making a comeback.
Anthony Kim, who was once considered a future star in golf, is preparing to return to the game after 12 years away from competition.
Kim’s last tournament was in 2012, when he was 26 years old. He withdrew after the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship, following two other consecutive withdrawals. He then underwent surgery to fix his Achilles tendon and vanished from the PGA Tour.
Kim had an impressive record, with three top-10 finishes in majors, including a third place at The Masters in 2010.
Now, at 38, Kim is ready to play again, but he faces a big challenge. He reportedly has an insurance policy worth $10 million that covers him in case of a career-ending injury, which he would lose if he came back from his injury.
Will Anthony Kim choose the PGA Tour or LIV Golf?
Kim has an advantage in the current golf scenario, as he has leverage due to the conflict between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. Both entities are interested in him and offer him different benefits.
The PGA Tour allows Kim to resume his career where he left off and play whenever he wants, with possible entries through his “past champion” status and sponsor exemptions. As a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, Kim would be a valuable addition to any event, as he is a well-known and unpredictable player.
However, the PGA Tour is not well prepared to deal with Kim’s $10 million issue. The tour could reportedly help him, though, through sponsorships and a place in the Player Impact Program.
LIV Golf’s strength is, as usual, financial, as it could easily pay Kim the $10 million upfront and offer him more money through prizes and sponsorships. The league was not very keen on Kim until some influential players, such as Dustin Johnson, advocated for him. Kim now reportedly has a one-year deal on the table that would cover his insurance policy. LIV’s lack of cuts also gives Kim the opportunity to improve his game gradually.
The downside for LIV Golf is logistical. If Kim signed with them, he would have to play as a “wild card” without a team. He also probably wouldn’t have enough time to join the LIV event in Mayakoba next week, and the Miami event in April is suggested as a possible debut.
In any case, this is the most we have heard about Anthony Kim in over a decade. Some images and mysterious messages have appeared here and there, like a random swing video in 2018 when his swing coach wrote “2021 is going to be special.”
This is someone who said golf was “a fond memory of mine” eight years ago, but now he might be back in 2024.