Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm continue to be in awe of Anthony Kim’s comeback as the former Ryder Cup star played his way into the final group at LIV Golf Adelaide.
But no one could have summed up the L.A. native’s climb back to tournament golf—after spending 12 years away from the game while dealing with drug and alcohol struggles—than the man himself.
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“[The goal] was always to be in the final group, giving yourself a chance to win a golf tournament, or else I wouldn’t have been practicing and playing on this league, Kim said Saturday in Australia. “But if you’d have asked me three years ago, I would have told you [that] you were on drugs.”
Kim earned his spot in the final trio at Adelaide’s The Grange courtesy of a four-under 68 on day three, which improved his total to 14 under for the tournament. Kim will begin the fourth and final round five shots behind co-leaders Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm.
“I decided I was just going to let all the practice that I’ve been doing take over,” Kim said, noting that while he’s five back “I’m at least putting myself where I feel like I belong, and the practice is paying off.”
Rahm (66) and DeChambeau (64) ignited the large, vocal Aussie crowds by locking into an enthralling battle that culminated with the Spaniard holing out for eagle on the par-4 18th to join DeChambeau at 19 under.
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“It was a really good number, 62 meters into the wind,” Rahm said. “I was trying to land it seven short [and] obviously executed it pretty well, and the rest is what you all saw.”
One of the dual major winners, DeChambeau or Rahm, are likely to win LIV Golf’s flagship event on Sunday. But the pair could not help but marvel at the transformation of Kim during the past two years. The trio will tee up together in the final group at 11:45 a.m. local time (8:15 p.m. E.T.).
Kim, a three-time PGA Tour winner, walked away from pro golf due to injuries in 2012 and had become a ghost-like figure for more than a decade. During that time, Kim battled mental health issues and addiction. He turned his life around, began practising and was invited to play LIV Golf as a wildcard player in 2024.
Late last year, Kim finished T-5 at the Asian Tour’s PIF Saudi International, before earning one of three cards from LIV Golf’s Promotions (qualifying school) in January.
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“What an incredible story, first off,” two-time U.S. Open champion DeChambeau said. “Going from the lowest of lows, almost moving away from this earth and then coming back and really taking accountability and raising his little girl and being a family man and being 1 percent better every day. It’s an inspiring story.
“He’s an incredible talent. He’s starting to show it, and for him to be in the final group will be fun. I haven’t played with him yet.”
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Rahm heard Kim’s story first-hand last week at LIV Golf Riyadh and was moved.
“I was able to enjoy a car ride back to the hotel from the golf course in Riyadh, which somehow there’s traffic at midnight there, so it was quite a bit over an hour, and he shared quite a bit of his story with me,” Rahm said.
“What he’s doing is nothing short of remarkable. To see him now being part of a team [Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces] after earning his spot back in the league, making a 15-footer on the second day to get into the final qualifying day, he’s been proving it. I wouldn’t be surprised if [this season] he’s hoisting [a] trophy.”
Well, there’s one up for grabs on Sunday at LIV Golf Adelaide, and now there’s Official World Golf Ranking points.
A thrilling final day awaits.
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