Is Anthony Kim back?

Over the last couple of weeks, rumors about the return of AK to professional golf have been growing in social media and golf outlets. We don't have any confirmation on when, where, and on which tour he will make his return (or if the return is even factual) - but the speculation is now impossible to ignore, so let's talk about it.

Few players are capable of elevating themselves to legendary status in such a short period. With unmatched charisma, swagger (before swagger was an actual thing), and electric, unmatched huge dick energy, Kim won over the hearts of the fans insanely quickly.
Of course, having a buttery smooth swing helps, but AK paired it with an aggressive playstyle that we all think we can replicate. The guy made 11 birdies in a round at the masters for fucks sake - that is nothing short of amazing.

As meteoric as his rise was, his fall and disappearance were up to par. A complete mystery that helped cement his legacy and only magnified his now legendary status. 

After winning 2 PGA Tour events in 2008, and being a key player on the U.S. Ryder Cup team, Kim struggled with injuries and allegedly retired after cashing an insurance check, never to be seen again.

That might sound like an exaggeration, but it isn't. He removed himself from mainstream golf media entirely. We haven't seen a social media post, swing video, or even had an update on him for a decade. 

Until now.

Let's speculate a bit. Let's assume Anthony Kim is back. He is playing professional golf again. The tiger woods-esque Asian cowboy is back on the scene. How will it play out?

I don't think that he will return to the PGA tour. It's not like you can show up after 10 years and reclaim your tour card. Sure, you can get into tournaments via sponsor's invites, but the tour is a meritocracy - and I just don't see AK returning to a Korn Ferry Tour qualifier.
The only guy who can just show up and play in any event is Tiger Woods, and he deserves that unique perk. The guy is the needle.

So, if it's not the PGA Tour, will AK’s return be on LIV golf? That makes a ton of sense. They can shoehorn any golfer into their structure, and have him play regardless of merit or skill level. And most importantly, having the return of a literal golf unicorn will give LIV the eyeballs they so desperately want.

Let's be honest here, the crowds that would tune in to watch Anthony Kim’s return will tower over LIV’s regular audience. I would much rather watch him come back and shoot a sloppy 95, than spend an afternoon with Ian Poulter or Sergio Garcia (or 98% of the LIV field). Those guys were only interesting because of their outbursts, but since bending the knee to the Saudis they have been as vanilla and boring as it comes.

So yeah, LIV makes the most sense from every angle for our Golf legend, Anthony Kim.

But we haven’t discussed the biggest red flag on this whole thing. Do we need him back? I'm happy for the guy, and I'm sure he can make a fortune, but I'm worried that a return can taint his legacy. Mythical creatures are just that. Myths. Perhaps seeing AK play again will leave us with the same sour taste that we all had after watching Michael Jordan in a Wizards Jersey.

Let's not bring the dead back to life, and make sure that the legend of Anthony Kim keeps growing as time goes by.

That’s a wrap for today's golf story, stay tuned for our next delivery:

“The Phoenix Open”

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