Anthony Kim's Stunning Adelaide Victory: A Journey from Addiction to Golfing Glory
In a remarkable turn of events, Anthony Kim has secured a triumphant win at the LIV Golf Adelaide tournament, but he is not framing his achievement as the sport's greatest comeback story. Instead, the former golf prodigy, who battled drug and alcohol addiction for years, hopes his success will serve as a powerful inspiration to others facing similar struggles.
A Redemptive Round and a Powerful Message
After chasing down Spanish golfing legend Jon Rahm to claim victory on Sunday, Kim reflected on his personal journey. "When I was in rehab, that was my goal," he stated, emphasising his desire to motivate those in difficult circumstances. "So absolutely my goal is to inspire the people that are struggling because I feel like the world needs more of that."
Kim's message to others is straightforward and emphatic: "Don't f******* quit. That's it. Don't f****** quit." This mantra underscores his own path from addiction to redemption, a journey that saw him stop playing professional golf over a decade ago.
The Comeback Performance
The 40-year-old Californian began Sunday's final round at the Grange course a daunting five shots behind Rahm, the former world number one. However, Kim delivered a flawless performance, shooting a nine-under 63 to finish at 23 under par, overtaking Rahm who ended on 20 under.
His redemption round was highlighted by a tournament-defining stretch of five birdies in six holes from the 12th, culminating in nine birdies overall. This stellar performance earned him the winner's cheque of $US4 million, equivalent to approximately $A5.7 million.
From Prodigy to Addiction and Back
Kim burst onto the global golf scene after turning professional in 2006. His early career was marked by significant achievements, including holding the record for most birdies in a single round at the US Masters with 11, winning three US PGA Tour events, and being part of a victorious Ryder Cup team.
However, in 2014, his career came to an abrupt halt due to drug and alcohol addiction. It took nearly a decade for Kim to achieve sobriety. "I wasn't the best person, the best partner, the best whatever you want to call it, the best son, I could be when I was younger," Kim admitted. "But who I am today is a completely different person."
Now sober for three years, Kim credits his transformation to key pillars in his life. "With God, my family, my sobriety being the key things to my life, I can go as far as I want," he affirmed.
Return to Golf and Team Debut
Kim returned to competitive golf with LIV in 2024 as a reserve player but lost his card at the end of last season. He managed to scrape back as a reserve through an international play-off and, this week, joined a LIV team for the first time, becoming part of Dustin Johnson's 4Aces.
His victory in Adelaide came at a tournament that attracted over 115,000 spectators, making it the largest crowd ever for a golf event in Australia. Upon winning, Kim shared an emotional moment on the 18th green, hugging his four-year-old daughter Bella and his wife Emily as tears flowed.
Inspiring Future Generations
When asked what he would tell his daughter about his past struggles, Kim said, "I'm going to try to leave a lot of details out." However, he plans to share a crucial lesson: "I will tell her that before she came into this world, I didn't feel any purpose in my life."
He elaborated on the universal nature of such feelings, noting, "Whether you have a lot of money, whether you have a lot of success in your life, you still can feel lonely and feel like the world is against you."
Acclaim from Rivals and a Fairytale Narrative
Kim's triumph was met with widespread acclaim from his fellow golfers. Australian veteran Marc Leishman captured the sentiment, saying, "He was a gun. He had almost had an aura about him, somewhat for his golf, somewhat for his partying."
Leishman highlighted the gravity of Kim's journey, adding, "The place he got to and how close he was to not being here - I'm not talking about in Adelaide, I'm talking about not being on this planet. I hope that people realise how it's a fairytale, it really is. Not just golf, but life."
Australian Contenders and Team Success
While Kim's individual victory prevented an Australian from winning the Adelaide LIV crown, local players still made their mark. Lucas Herbert finished best-placed among Australians at 16 under, followed by Marc Leishman and Cam Smith both on 15 under. Elvis Smylie, who won the individual title on his LIV debut in Saudi Arabia the previous weekend, ended on nine under.
Despite missing out on the individual title, the quartet's combined efforts helped their all-Australian team, Ripper GC, win the teams event by two strokes over Rahm's Legion XIII.
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