Staff WriterAnthony Kim has thrust himself back into the conversation at the PIF Saudi International, and the early signs suggest the former prodigy has finally reignited the spark that once terrified leaderboards.
Kim sits T3 at the halfway point in Riyadh after stitching together the sort of tidy, no-nonsense golf that once made him one of America’s most electrifying talents.
The $US5 million finale to The International Series has plenty riding on it — promotion to the LIV Golf League for 2026 awaits the top two in the rankings — and Kim is suddenly right in the thick of it. Not bad for a man who, not long ago, couldn’t find the joy in the simplest walk from range to tee box.
Kim, 40, drifted out of LIV Golf at the end of the season after a two-year wild-card run, a setback that came after a 12-year disappearance from the sport altogether. Five tournaments and just 13.46 points later, he sits 127th on the International Series Rankings. But with a supersized 324 points on offer this week, he’s swung the door open on a comeback story that refuses to die.
And he’s doing it the hard way: precision, patience, and a bogey-free 64 featuring seven birdies that moved him to 11-under — tucked just behind Legion XIII’s Caleb Surratt (-14) and 4Aces GC’s Thomas Pieters (-13).
If you’re wondering what’s changed, Kim spells it out plainly. “I’m finally starting to see some of the work show. I haven’t been able to swing like I have been in practice rounds and back at home in tournament golf, but it is starting to show up and starting to feel more comfortable out here.
“Hard work – this is the hardest I have worked since I was a little kid. I (have) fallen back in love with the game. I feel a lot of gratitude playing this game, getting to travel. We were in Dubai last week, in Saudi now. Just looking forward to the future.”
That rediscovered affection for the grind has been a long time coming. He doesn’t dance around the reason.
“It means that I actually want to go to the golf course. I was so excited to leave the golf course when I had… you know, dealing with some of the mental illness and addiction issues. At this point I am excited to be here. I feel blessed to be here, and I am going to keep working as hard as I can.”
Confidence hasn’t always been part of the kit these past two years on LIV Golf. The standard was high and the lessons were sometimes brutal.
“It is a lot easier when you start hitting fairways and making a few putts, absolutely. Getting kicked in the teeth every week over the last two years (on LIV Golf) playing against some of the major championship winners and some very successful players has been tough. I think I needed to be in that fire and I will be ready for the weekend.”
A title run? Kim knows exactly how to handle that question now — with a shrug, not a stare.
“I am not too worried about that. That stuff used to matter to me. Right now I am just working on taking one shot at a time and make good golf swings and enjoy my time here in Saudi Arabia. I am not worried about where I am on the leaderboard until the last nine holes on Sunday. I know if I keep playing well, I will give myself a chance, and hopefully I’ll be close.”
And then, the line that could only come from a spouse who has sat through more scorecards than dinners:
“My wife told me that if I make less bogeys than birdies my score will be good, so I followed that direction well today!”
This week’s event is the closing chapter of The International Series season and one of the final stops on the Asian Tour. The stakes are unmistakable: two players will step straight into the LIV Golf League for 2026, while those inside the top 40 will head for LIV Golf Promotions in January — two more golden tickets waiting there.
Anthony Kim has given himself a proper chance again. No bluster, no nostalgia — just golf that stands up when you shake it. If the weekend heat doesn’t buckle him, this comeback may finally have found its legs.
