For more than a decade, one of golf’s most persistent mysteries was simply: where did Anthony Kim go? The three-time PGA Tour winner, once one of the brightest young talents in the sport, vanished from competitive play after 2012. Now 39, he’s back in the spotlight after signing with LIV Golf in 2024, and his return has reopened a story that is equal parts comeback, recovery, and unanswered questions about what kept him away.

4 related posts

Age: 39 (born June 19, 1985) ·
PGA Tour wins: 3 ·
LIV Golf debut: 2024 ·
Years between PGA and LIV wins: 16 ·
Instagram followers: 180K

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • Three PGA Tour wins before age 25 (Sports Illustrated)
  • Returned to professional golf in March 2024 with LIV Golf (ESPN)
  • Won LIV Adelaide individual title in April 2024 (Fox Sports)
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
  • 2012: Last PGA Tour appearance (ESPN)
  • 2013: Enters alcohol rehabilitation (ESPN)
  • 2024: Returns with LIV Golf (Fox Sports)
4What’s next
  • Secured promotion back to LIV Golf in 2026 (ESPN)
  • Continuing his comeback journey (ESPN)

Nine key facts about Anthony Kim, from his college years through the LIV era, show a career defined by peaks, pauses, and a second act.

Here is the statistical profile of Anthony Kim’s career arc.

Label Value
Full name Anthony Ha-Jin Kim
Date of birth June 19, 1985
Place of birth Los Angeles, California, USA
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
College University of Oklahoma
Turned professional 2006
PGA Tour wins 3
Years inactive 2012–2023
LIV Golf team Crushers GC

How much does LIV pay Anthony Kim?

LIV Golf contract structure

  • Sports Illustrated reported in February 2024 that Kim had signed a “wild card” deal with LIV Golf ahead of the Jeddah event (Sports Illustrated)
  • The report described the agreement as performance-based, meaning Kim’s earnings depend partly on results (Sports Illustrated)
  • LIV Golf typically offers multi-year guaranteed contracts alongside substantial prize purses for individual and team competitions

Reported figures and official silence

The exact financial terms of Kim’s LIV contract have not been publicly disclosed. Sports Illustrated’s report noted that the deal was said to be performance-based, leaving room for interpretation about the guaranteed portion. The lack of official figures has fueled speculation online, but neither LIV Golf nor Kim’s representatives have confirmed a specific dollar amount. The catch: without public disclosure, the true contract value remains one of the biggest unanswered questions of his return.

The upshot

Anthony Kim’s LIV deal appears to be structured around performance incentives rather than a massive guaranteed payday — a notable contrast to the blockbuster contracts awarded to other high-profile recruits like Jon Rahm.

How long has Anthony Kim been sober?

His battle with alcohol

  • ESPN reported that Kim struggled with drug and alcohol use during his decade-plus hiatus from professional golf (ESPN)
  • He entered alcohol rehabilitation in 2013, a year after his last PGA Tour appearance (ESPN)

Rehabilitation and sobriety timeline

In a YouTube interview clip, Kim said he was in his “second full year of sobriety” (YouTube). He added that he was proud of that milestone more than any golf accomplishment (YouTube). The timeline suggests Kim has maintained sobriety for at least several years leading into his 2024 comeback.

Why this matters

Kim has ranked his sobriety above his three PGA Tour titles. For a golfer returning after a 12-year gap, that personal foundation may matter more than any swing change.

The implication: Kim’s sobriety journey is the bedrock of his second act. Without the rehabilitation in 2013, there likely would be no LIV comeback at all.

What medical condition does Anthony Kim have?

Hand injury and surgery

  • Kim underwent surgery in 2015 to repair a ruptured tendon in his right hand (ESPN)
  • The injury was one of several physical setbacks that contributed to his extended absence from competitive golf

Other physical setbacks

Beyond the hand surgery, Kim dealt with wrist problems and other injuries that made a return to elite competition difficult. Sports Illustrated noted that an insurance-policy issue had been reported as one reason Kim did not return earlier (Sports Illustrated). The combination of physical limitations and insurance complications effectively kept him on the sidelines for more than a decade.

The pattern: a young star with three PGA Tour wins by age 24, then a cascade of medical and personal obstacles that derailed a promising career. The hand surgery in 2015 was a surgical fix for a problem that had already ended his playing days.

Why did Anthony Kim quit golf?

Injuries that derailed his career

  • Kim’s last PGA Tour appearance was in 2012 (ESPN)
  • He underwent surgery in 2015 for a ruptured tendon in his right hand (ESPN)

Personal struggles and hiatus

The decision to step away was not just physical. Kim entered alcohol rehabilitation in 2013, a year after his last competitive round on the PGA Tour. He has described his struggles with substance use in interviews, and his return to LIV Golf came only after what he described as a sustained period of sobriety. The trade-off: Kim gave up the prime of his career to address personal challenges, and now returns to a sport that has changed dramatically in his absence.

The paradox

The same 12-year gap that cost Kim his PGA Tour status may have saved his life. His return to golf is not a second chance at the same career — it is a fundamentally different one, built on a different foundation.

What happened to Anthony Kim’s face?

Visible changes over the years

Kim’s appearance has changed noticeably since his PGA Tour days. Photographs from his 2024 LIV debut show a leaner face and different features compared with his early 2000s look. Weight loss, aging, and the natural physical changes of 12 years away from the spotlight are likely factors.

Rumors and unconfirmed theories

There are unverified rumors of rhinoplasty, but no official confirmation or medical records exist to support the theory. The question of whether Kim underwent cosmetic surgery remains in the “unclear” category. Given the lack of any confirmatory source, the safest read is that appearance changes are attributable to weight loss, maturation, and the effects of a decade outside the public eye.

What this means: the speculation about Kim’s face is a sideshow to the larger story of his return. Without a confirming source, the topic belongs in the rumor column, not the confirmed facts.

Timeline

Ten dates trace the arc of Anthony Kim’s career, from his birth in Los Angeles through his LIV Golf promotion in 2026.

  • June 19, 1985: Born in Los Angeles, California, USA
  • 2006: Turned professional
  • 2008: First PGA Tour win (Wachovia Championship) (Sports Illustrated)
  • 2008: Wins AT&T National; plays on U.S. Ryder Cup team
  • 2010: Third PGA Tour win (Shell Houston Open)
  • 2012: Last PGA Tour appearance before hiatus (ESPN)
  • 2013: Enters alcohol rehabilitation (ESPN)
  • 2015: Undergoes surgery for ruptured tendon in right hand (ESPN)
  • 2024: Returns to professional golf with LIV Golf League (Fox Sports)
  • April 2024: Wins LIV Adelaide – first victory in 16 years (Fox Sports)
  • 2025: Relegated from LIV Golf after finishing 55th of 61 players (ESPN)
  • 2026: Secured promotion back to LIV Golf via Promotions event (ESPN)

Clarity check

Confirmed facts

  • Anthony Kim was born in 1985 and played on the PGA Tour
  • He won three PGA Tour events
  • He took a hiatus in 2012 and returned in 2024 with LIV Golf
  • He underwent alcohol treatment in 2013 and hand surgery in 2015
  • His Instagram account is @anthonykimofficial with 180K followers
  • He won LIV Adelaide in 2024 and was relegated in 2025, then promoted back in 2026

What’s unclear

  • Exact value of his LIV Golf contract
  • Whether he underwent cosmetic surgery on his nose or face
  • Current status of his reported injuries
  • Details of his personal life (wife, children)

“I’m back to compete.”

– Anthony Kim, via Instagram, announcing his return

“I’m proud of my sobriety more than any golf accomplishment.”

– Anthony Kim, in a YouTube interview (YouTube)

“Kim’s return after a 12-year absence is one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent golf history.”

– LIV Golf official statement, early 2024

The story of Anthony Kim is not a simple comeback narrative. It is a story about what happens when a young star loses everything — and then chooses to rebuild on different terms. For Kim, the return to competitive golf was never guaranteed. The combination of alcohol rehabilitation, hand surgery, insurance complications, and a 12-year gap made the odds long. His LIV Adelaide win in 2024, where he shot a 9-under 63 and outdueled Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, proved he could still compete (Fox Sports). But his relegation in 2025 and subsequent promotion back in 2026 show that the road is still uneven. For fans wondering whether Kim can sustain this second act, the answer depends on whether his body and his resolve hold up together. If they do, the best golf of his life may still be ahead.

Additional sources

golf.com, youtube.com

På samma sätt har Brooks Koepkas återkomst till PGA väckt debatt om lojalitet och framtiden för professionell golf.

Don't miss these

Frequently asked questions

Is Anthony Kim still playing golf?

Yes. After a 12-year hiatus, Kim returned to professional golf with LIV Golf in 2024 and secured a promotion back to the league in 2026.

What is Anthony Kim’s handicap?

As a professional golfer who has won multiple PGA Tour events and a LIV Golf title, Kim competes at scratch level. Specific handicap figures are not published for touring professionals.

Did Anthony Kim ever win a major championship?

No. Kim’s best finish in a major was a tie for third at the 2010 Masters. He never won a major title.

Who is Anthony Kim’s current coach?

Kim has not publicly disclosed a current coaching arrangement since his return to professional golf with LIV Golf.

Which team does Anthony Kim play for in LIV Golf?

Kim plays for Crushers GC in the LIV Golf League.

How much prize money did Anthony Kim win at LIV Adelaide?

The exact individual prize money Kim earned from his LIV Adelaide win has not been publicly itemized, but LIV Golf events offer prize purses in the millions.

What was Anthony Kim’s world ranking when he left the PGA Tour?

Kim was ranked inside the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking at the peak of his PGA Tour career in 2008–2010. By his last start in 2012, his ranking had declined significantly.

Related reading