The fairways in Adelaide delivered more than a leaderboard shake-up this year. After all, Anthony Kim grabbed his first win in 16 years in what can only be described as an ultimate comeback. However, once in front of the mic, he did not take time to point out how his story had to brew on the back burner despite being one of a kind.

“Well, I know the mainstream media is not going to pick it up, but for the people that do hear about it, I want to be a good example,” Kim blatantly replied when asked to share his success story after the win.

“I would say that I wasn’t the best person, the best partner, the best whatever you want to call it, the best son I could be when I was younger. But who I am today is a completely different person. With God, my family, my sobriety being the key things to my life, I can go as far as I want.”

Kim last won a title in professional golf on April 4, 2010, when he took home the Shell Houston Open trophy. While he was around for some time after that, his struggles with alcohol and personal thoughts took him on a 12-year exile from the sport. Slowly, he started to rise again.

With LIV since 2024, he has been gradually making progress. And with over 40,000 people watching LIV Adelaide, he closed with a brilliant 63 to finish 23 under par to bag the $4 million win. Notably, he held off Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau at The Grange Golf Club.

“I always believed that this day would come,” Kim said. “With the support of my wife, my daughter, and my mum, I knew anything was possible, but for it to actually happen is incredible.

“I just wanted to take it all in. In my twenties, I wasn’t able to enjoy the moment, but having my daughter and my wife here has made it the best situation I could possibly ask for.”

What makes this even more special is the fact that after everyone ditched him, with DataGolf predicting only 0.3 win percentage, he came out leading the field in reaching Greens in Regulation at 83.33% (60 of 72) and made the fewest bogeys (3) of the week. He is now projected to move up in his OWGR to the 200s from being 847th in the world currently. 

Kim was determined enough to overcome the hurdles along the way to reach this pedestal.

After years of struggle, Anthony Kim’s remarkable comeback victory steals the spotlight

Such a win after a break of more than a decade was more like a battle for the 40-year-old American. He stepped back owing to injuries in 2012. Additionally, he had to fight against issues like alcohol and addiction. He referred to those ‘dark moments’ and shared how he fell into traps of “scam artists” and “snakes.” He was pushed into a phase that even forced him to delve into suicidal thoughts.

After Patrick Reed parted ways with LIV Golf, Kim got the opportunity to join Dustin Johnson’s 4 Aces GC. Back in 2008, Kim became the first American under the age of 25 since Tiger Woods to secure two PGA Tour wins in the same year. That earned him an entry to the USA team for the 2008 Ryder Cup, where he proved his caliber by securing two-and-a-half points from four matches. 

Now, as he has once again tasted success after years, it’s his perseverance while facing endless obstacles that has earned him a place in the headlines. With him not wanting anything to do with the 20-year-old self, there’s only way up for the golfer.