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Most golf fans were curious to see how Anthony Kim would fare in his grand return to the pro circuit, and based on how he played during his first round as a member of LIV Golf, the answer appears to be “Not great!”
The last time we saw Anthony Kim compete in a tournament was in 2012 when he withdrew from the Wells Fargo Open with a wrist injury. That was just the latest in a lengthy line of setbacks, and he ultimately decided to retire while taking advantage of a $10 million insurance payout that was accompanied by a notable caveat: the inability to play competitive golf.
It was a pretty shocking turn of events when you consider Kim cemented himself as one of the most exciting young talents in the game when he debuted on the PGA Tour in 2006, as he’d wasted no time skyrocketing up the Official World Golf Rankings before peaking at 6th just two years later.
Most people eventually came to accept we’d seen the last of Kim (and his flashy belt buckles), but earlier this year, rumors swirled concerned a potential comeback that culminated with Greg Norman announcing he’d inked a deal with LIV Golf and would be playing for the first time in more than a decade when the league headed to Jeddah this week.
It was a pretty smart move on the part of LIV, which needs all the help it can get drawing attention to its events. However, it’s pretty clear Kim is still shaking the rust off based on what transpired during his opening round at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on Friday.
Kim had a very rough day that was encapsulated by the brutal shank we were treated to when he channeled Tiger Woods at this year’s Genesis Open with an approach shot that didn’t even come close to landing near his intended target.
Ohhhhh boy. Anthony Kim shank! pic.twitter.com/FOZyRizsFS
— Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) March 1, 2024
When everything was said and done, Kim headed into the clubhouse at +6 after posting seven bogeys and a lone birdie, which placed him dead last in the field of 54 after his first round.
When you consider this is his first professional round in 12 years, he should probably get the benefit of the doubt, but it’s still not the best look.