Anthony Kim captures first title in 16 years at LIV Adelaide to cap remarkable story

[p]The 40-year-old American, a one-time alcoholic, fired a nine-under-par 63, surging home with five birdies on the back nine to claim victory in Adelaide by three strokes.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kim-anthony/IVWfSPDB/"]Kim[/a] began the day five behind former world number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rahm-jon/h41jCwka/"]Rahm[/a] and fellow overnight leader [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dechambeau-bryson/vZG7Cn7s/"]Bryson DeChambeau[/a], but reeled them in at Grange Golf Club with a faultless round.[/p][p][b]In front of bumper crowds and a carnival atmosphere, he finished at 23-under, three clear of Spain's Rahm, who never really got going, mixing two birdies with a bogey in his 71.[/b][/p][p]American DeChambeau, also a two-time major winner, suffered a horror round with four bogeys in six holes on the front nine to slide down the leaderboard.[/p][p]He finished tied for third, six off the pace, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hatton-tyrrell/nZnQbO2h/"]Tyrrell Hatton[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/uihlein-peter/6BHdc0yf/"]Peter Uihlein[/a].[/p][embed guid="665d641b-9f5f-43fa-8a70-48938b46daec" url="https://x.com/i/status/2022920100375073122" social-type="twitter" /][p]Victory capped an incredible comeback by Kim - a Ryder Cup champion, three-time PGA Tour winner and former world number six who retired from golf in 2012.[/p][p]After battling drug and alcohol addiction and suicidal thoughts, he returned to the sport in 2024 as a wildcard on the Saudi-backed LIV Tour.[/p][p][b]He was relegated last season but earned his way back at last month's LIV Golf Promotions when he claimed one of three qualifying spots.[/b][/p][p]Kim then got offered a full-time position with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/johnson-dustin/UqNejxuE/"]Dustin Johnson[/a]'s 4Aces GC for the 2026 season when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/reed-patrick/OtRhqCKL/"]Patrick Reed[/a] suddenly quit to play on the DP World Tour.[/p][p]He paid tribute to his family for helping him through the hard times and to his first win since the Houston Open in 2010.[/p][p][b]"It's been overwhelming," [/b]he said.[b] "But I'm never not going to fight for my family.[/b][/p][p][b]"God gave me a talent. I was able to produce some good golf today. I knew it was coming.[/b][/p][p][b]"Nobody else has to believe in me, but me. And for anybody that's struggling, you can get through anything."[/b][/p][embed guid="f8dfa769-ba3d-4bae-89f6-2f4598115da4" url="https://x.com/livgolf_league/status/2022930665499476130?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]A precocious talent who burst on the scene in 2006, Kim was the spark-plug of the 2008 US Ryder Cup team that beat Europe at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky.[/p][p]He won three PGA Tour titles before his sensational decision to walk away.[/p][p][b]"I just want to thank all the people that have supported me when I was not playing well and I was struggling on the verge of never coming back to live," [/b]said Kim, who announced in 2025 that he had been sober for two years.[/p][p]Kim was coming off his best result in his 25 LIV Golf starts, a tie for 22nd at last week's season-opening tournament in Riyadh.[/p]