Anthony Kim to play LIV Golf event next week: Report

Former PGA Tour star Anthony Kim will play in the LIV Golf event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, next week, according to a Golf Channel report that cites multiple sources.

Kim, 38, reportedly will take one of two wildcard spots available in the 54-player field, meaning he will not be a member of one the league’s 13 teams.

When reached by GOLF.com Saturday, a LIV Golf spokesperson said the league “can’t comment on player speculation.”

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The decision ends a month of speculation about where (and when) Kim might make his return to pro golf after 12 years away from the sport. Last month, GOLF’s Dylan Dethier reported that Kim was preparing for a return to pro golf, although still mulling whether it would be on the PGA Tour or LIV Golf.

Over the course of a brief PGA Tour career, Kim became a star, both on and off the course. Golf fans — especially young fans — connected with his new-school style, charisma and brashness. He set a Masters record for birdies in a round (11), and at the Ryder Cup he begged U.S. captain Paul Azinger to let him face Sergio Garcia in Sunday singles, then won 5 and 4. He appeared on Jay Leno and competed in the NBA’s Celebrity All-Star Game.

Kim captured three victories, the first at the 2008 Wachovia Championship and the last at the 2010 Shell Houston Open. But he battled injuries in 2012, as he entered 10 PGA Tour events and withdrew from his final three. His last tournament was the 2012 Wells Fargo Championship, in which he withdrew after the first round.

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A decade of mysterious sightings and speculation followed, but it was unclear if Kim would ever play again.

Part of the issue has been an insurance policy Kim took out, worth an estimated $10 million. Kim would forgo it by returning to pro golf. Dethier reported that the PGA Tour was negotiating creative ways to make up for that loss. LIV, on the other hand, could offer upfront money.

Kim’s first round back will be Friday in Jeddah.

Kevin Cunningham

Golf.com Editor

As managing producer for GOLF.com, Cunningham edits, writes and publishes stories on GOLF.com, and manages the brand’s e-newsletters, which reach more than 1.4 million subscribers each month. A former two-time intern, he also helps keep GOLF.com humming outside the news-breaking stories and service content provided by our reporters and writers, and works with the tech team in the development of new products and innovative ways to deliver an engaging site to our audience.