Anthony Kim seeks more success after emotional victory

Yes, Anthony Kim watched highlights of his victory two weeks ago at LIV Golf Adelaide, his first victory since returning to professional golf after a 12-and-a-half year absence. In fact, he watched the video clips several times. Maybe too much. “Enough times where I’m not going to watch it anymore,” he joked Tuesday as he prepared for this week’s HSBC LIV Golf Hong Kong, his first start since he ignited the golf world with his stirring victory in Australia when he overtook 54-hole co-leaders Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau. This victory, of course, was not simply about pulling himself together after five moves down, but rather about pulling himself together from the depths of personal despair, with addictions that threatened not only to ruin his life, but to end it. It was also about coming back from a game of golf that, just over two years ago, was, in his words, “downright terrible” when he came out of retirement to join LIV Golf. That’s why his story resonated so deeply with fans in the golf world, but also the sports world in general – and even beyond. It struck a chord, a chord of hope, in which refusal to give up and determination to improve can lead to positive outcomes, no matter how bleak the situation. “It wasn’t about golf,” Kim said. “It was about setting goals, being resilient and overcoming obstacles in your life. Through my own fault, I made a lot of bad decisions. But the only way to overcome this is to just face it and face it head on. “It’s amazing, the love and support I’ve received. I’m driven by negativity, so it’s been very weird. But I feel like a lot of people saw their own family, their own struggles in me, and I think that’s why it was so well received. After playing as a Wild Card in the season opener in Riyadh, Kim was signed by 4Aces GC, an announcement made just before the opening round. Four days later, he put the finishing touches on a bogey-free 9-under 63 in the final round that Rahm called “one of the best rounds of golf I’ve ever seen.” then helped him celebrate the victory. “I know how much hard work he put in,” said his captain, Dustin Johnson. “I know everything he’s been through. To see him come out the other side, especially as well, playing in the last group with Bryson and Jon, and to go play that round of golf was really special, and to do it on Sunday with those guys and finish with a win was — maybe other than me and maybe him and the guys on our team who believed in him, I don’t think anyone else did. … “It was a really special moment. I think it was great for golf. It was great for LIV. Obviously, it was great for our team, the Aces, and most importantly, it was great for him and his family.” Kim’s family is the key to his comeback. That’s why his new way of celebrating wins involved a family vacation to Thailand that also included long distance sessions to reinforce his desire to improve by one percent every day. He shudders to think of how the former AK would have celebrated. Without his wife Emily, Kim admitted “there’s no chance that I play golf. I give him all the credit for telling me that this is what you’re good at and that you can make a difference in other people’s lives if you succeed.” Meanwhile, their daughter Bella is his inspiration. She ran onto the 18th green in Adelaide to hug her father; Kim called it “one of the most special moments of my life.” He wants more. Now having tasted success in sobriety, the fire burns brighter than before. He wants more family hugs after winning putt. “I’m a recovering addict, but now I think I’m addicted to the idea of it happening again,” Kim said. “Nothing will stop me from working to get to this point.” This piece is courtesy of Mike McAllister in partnership with LIV Golf.