Welcome to Play Smart, a regular GOLF.com game-improvement column that will help you become a smarter, better golfer.
Two years ago, Anthony Kim shocked the golf world when he announced he would end his 12-year hiatus from professional golf and tee it up on the LIV Golf circuit. After over a decade out of the public eye, golf’s folk hero of the 2000s was set to make a triumphant return.
Kim’s most ardent supporters and enthusiastic backers expected him to pick up right where he left off: carding birdies and electrifying crowds, just as he’d done on the PGA Tour as a 20-something wunderkind. The reality was quite the opposite.
In Kim’s first season on LIV, he failed to earn a single point in the standings, with a 36th-place finish in West Virginia representing his best effort in Year 1. Year 2 was much the same as he again did not earn a point and only once finished inside the top 30. His best golf looked as though it was behind him.
But as 2025 neared a close, Kim’s game started to show signs of life. At the Saudi International in late November, Kim finished tied for fifth — his best showing in over a decade. Then, at the LIV Promotions event, he finished in third place, earning a spot in the league for a third season. On Sunday, Kim ran down Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau to win LIV Golf Adelaide, his first victory since the 2010 Shell Houston Open.
So, what exactly changed for Kim in late 2025? It turns out, the answer is rather simple.
AK’s key swing tweak
As Kim began playing his best golf at the tail end of 2025, he revealed something interesting about what he’d been working on in his game.
“I’ve been working on my setup the last two years,” Kim said. “I just didn’t know where I was aimed … Since I’ve been back playing golf, my feet have been right — my shoulders have been right; my feet have been further right.”
With his alignment off while standing over the ball, Kim was seldom able to hit shots at his intended targets. And without the confidence in where he was lined up, he had to make unintentional compensations to strike the ball how he wanted.
During this interview, Kim also revealed that he’d begun working with GOLF Top 100 Teacher Matt Killen. However, much of the work was not swing-related, with most of the focus being on Kim’s setup.
“Really not working too much on my golf swing, just working on my setup,” Kim said. “If I can get that squared away, I know I can hit a lot of good shots.”
It seems the emphasis on the fundamentals has paid off. Since that revelation, Kim has been playing his best golf since starting his comeback, culminating with his triumph at LIV Adelaide this weekend.
Not only has Kim’s journey back to the winner’s circle been wildly impressive, but it also comes with a great reminder for all recreational golfers: When you start to play poor golf, always go back and look at your setup. If something is off there, the rest of your swing has little chance to be successful.
