Anthony Kim officially became a part of LIV Golf earlier this week. Despite signing as a wild card without a team, it appears he’ll be playing the rest of the 2024 LIV season, per a LIV press release.
LIV CEO Greg Norman posted a video hyping up the news this past weekend, but now it’s Kim’s turn.
The Saudi-backed tour chatted with him during a practice round at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia, ahead of LIV Jeddah.
Kim then posted a video to his Instagram account (which NUCLR GOLF posted on X) with a montage of his playing days, dropping the mic at the end.
“Hello, Haters, I’m Back,” the video read on an all-black screen. The video has nearly a half million views already and his brand new IG account already has over 21,000 followers because of it.
It certainly appears that the former rising star will not be shying away from criticism for joining LIV.
The LIV Tour then posted a video to their account on X, where Kim shared insight into his current mental state.
“Right now I’m focused on playing good this week. I got a few weeks of competitive golf in front of me, so I’ll tell my story when it’s the right time,” Kim said. “I’m focused on golf. I’m excited to be out here with my daughter and my family — just enjoy the experience that LIV is providing.”
The video follows him as he rocks a white “girl dad” t-shirt and black shorts on the golf course with a white LIV Golf hat and his long hair. Traditional attire, who?
He continues giving snippets into his game and understands that 11 years is a long time to take off from professional golf.
“I missed the competitive part of the game,” he said. “I wouldn’t just say it was golf, but being in the heat of the moment and having the opportunity to do something special. I’m looking forward to having that opportunity again. I was blessed with a little bit of talent, and a little bit of hard work can go a long way, so I’m expecting good results.”
He isn’t nervous now, but that could change on Friday when he tees off as a season-long wild card for LIV Golf.
Kim, 38, is no longer a spring chicken. But that fact didn’t deter him from making a strong statement to end the video.
“I’ve been putting in some work, and I’m ready to go,” he said. “I’m 38 now, so I don’t know quite a few of the guys, but I’m here to bust everyone’s ass.”
The long-awaited return for Kim is here, and while it may not be on the PGA Tour, he is the kind of player that could garner attention. LIV Golf might have just landed its ace in the hole.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.