Former golfer Anthony Kim, who hasn’t played professionally in over a decade, is in discussions to return to the game for either the PGA Tour or LIV, Golf.com’s Dylan Dethier reports.
Kim first turned professional in 2006 and won three times on the PGA Tour, twice in 2008 as a 22-year-old and once in 2010. He last played in a tournament in 2012, when he withdrew from the Wells Fargo Championship due to injury.
After that, Kim disappeared from the game at the age of 26, and hasn’t appeared to show interest in returning until now at 38 years-old.
Kim’s negotiations to return include discussions about his insurance policy payout, as according to Dethier, Kim’s insurance of around $10 million would likely be voided should he resume his professional career. However, Kim could play immediately as a past champion or using a variety of tour exemptions as the PGA Tour figures out how to work around his insurance payout.
Allan Henry/USA Today sports
Meanwhile, LIV wasn’t initially interested in adding Kim, but Dethier reports CEO Greg Norman called Kim to begin negotiations on a potential one-year contract that would likely cover the insurance, at least.
While Kim never won any majors, he finished in the top five at the 2010 Masters and 2011 British Open and was a key member of the United States 2008 Ryder Cup and 2009 Presidents Cup winning teams. In that span, Kim’s popularity rose to the point where he would make public appearances on late night shows.
However, injuries eventually slowed his play, leading to three straight withdrawals before his eventual disappearance. Even though it is unclear whether Kim can play at a top level like he used to, he does provide the required popularity regardless to make him an interesting story for either tour.
