Competing at the LIV Golf Promotions Event, Anthony Kim birdied the final hole. As his 10-foot putt fell into the cup, he made the cut with an overall 1 under, advancing in the event. The video of the same did its round on social media, and under one such video by Flushing It Golf, Phil Mickelson‘s response caught our attention.

“Tough competitor. Love this. Keep it going, AK,” Lefty wrote, as AK chases one of three 2026 LIV Golf season spots in Florida.

Lefty’s words highlighted the bond the two have shared for way too long before LIV, relegations, and Kim’s decade-long hiatus. They were first truly linked at the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla. Kim was a 23-year-old novice, whereas Mickelson was already a major champ and a Ryder Cup favorite. That year, they were paired thrice, delivering one loss, one win, and one draw. Anthony Kim, for his part, added another point in singles. It was then that Mickelson realized the AK’s talent, only to be later marred by bad luck.

In 2008, Anthony Kim won twice—at the AT&T National and Wachovia Championship. For the next few years, he kept surviving. In 2010, he finished third at the Masters and won his last event at the Shell Houston Open. But then everything unraveled.

He injured his thumb, and before he could realize, the years spiraled into multiple surgeries. From the shoulders to the hands, to the spine, and the Achilles tendon. The pain was too much to bear, so he resorted to alcohol. In just two years, he was at his lowest, thinking about ending his life. He withdrew from the 2012 Wells Fargo Championship, and no one saw him professionally for the next 12 years.

In 2024, he decided to come back. The path was not easy. He joined LIV instead of the PGA Tour and performed horribly with a T49 in Riyadh and a T51 in Adelaide. In 2025, though, his conditions improved. There was a T5 at the PIF Saudi International. But that wasn’t enough to keep him safe, as he ended his year as the 55th-ranked player. Even then, Mickelson was by his side.

After relegation got confirmed, Lefty sent him a personal message reminding him of all the progress he’s made. “He’s worked hard and has gotten better every day. I’m rooting hard for his success,” Lefty wrote.

It is in this context that Mickelson’s message stands out. Lefty might still be seeing the glimpse of that 23-year-old boy whose life took an unexpected turn and obstructed him from success. But at the same time, many would be making a different sense of this message, and who knows, they might be right?

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Is Phil Mickelson trying to join LIV’s broken piece?

As LIV Golf reels with sudden exits and brutal rejections, there are a few names who scramble to join the league. And it is to those names that the league’s established voices want to cater.

The end of last year proved to be devastating for the Saudi-backed league. Brooks Koepka abruptly left the league and has now applied for a PGA Tour reinstatement. Si Woo Kim, on the other hand, was offered a massive deal to switch to LIV, but he too clearly refused. Money, at the same time, has also remained elusive to the league.

The reason is simple. LIV Golf’s architecture is questionable. It doesn’t receive OWGR points, which would allow its players to compete in majors. Its recent decision to change from a 54-hole format to 72 might solve this issue, but there is no assurance of the same.

Such backdrops make Kim’s entry into LIV high-stakes. Although he is not a marquee player, he has played in 15 majors, recorded three top-10 finishes, and has once been a popular name. Who knows, this is exactly what LIV would need.