Anthony Kim cites ‘scam artists,’ ‘snakes’ from his past in forthcoming interview

On Feb. 28., two days before Anthony Kim teed off in his first competitive golf round in 12 years, LIV Golf published a 102-second walk-and-talk with the mysterious star on its social-media channels.

“Right now I’m focused on playing good this week,” Kim said, as he walked off a tee at LIV Golf Jeddah sporting a ‘GIRL DAD’ T-shirt. “I’ve got a few weeks of competitive golf in front of me, so I’ll tell my story when it’s the right time. But right now I’m focused on golf.”

As for the proper time for that story? Apparently, it’s Tuesday.

LIV Golf tweeted on Monday that “The Journey Back,” an exclusive Kim interview with David Feherty, will go live on LIV Golf+ at 9 a.m. ET Tuesday. The video released Monday was just a 56-second teaser, but in it, Feherty asked if Kim had the same friends he did 12 years. ago. Kim said he’s shed about “98 percent” of the people he used to be around.

“I’m not going to lie, I was around some bad people,” Kim said. “People that took advantage of me, scam artists. And when you’re 24 or 25, even 30 years old, you don’t realize the snakes that are living under your roof.”

Kim said that he was blackmailed and taken advantage of. While it’s unclear whom Kim was referring to, in his playing days he was well known to travel with a small entourage on and off the course. His group was even featured in some of Kim’s photo shoots. Although in his return, Kim’s “entourage” has seemingly disappeared. Now, his travel mates appear largely to be just his wife and their young daughter.

“But through the grace of God, I’m here,” Kim continued in the interview clip. “I’m able to tell my story, hopefully inspire other people and, again, my daughter’s going to be proud of me no matter how I play and that’s the most important thing to me.”

Kim, 38, makes his U.S. LIV debut this week, when LIV Golf tees off at Trump National Doral in Miami. His first two LIV starts were in Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong. He finished last in his debut and 50th out of 54 in Hong Kong; he did shoot a final-round five-under 65, which was only bested by four players. In mid-March, Kim also played an Asia Tour event in China where he shot 74-70 to miss the cut by eight. The long, hazard-laden design at Trump National Doral is likely to be a stiffer test than what Kim faced in his first three starts.

LIV Golf has been slow-playing Kims’s return to pro golf, either by design or perhaps due to Kim’s own requests. His first two starts were across the world, playing mostly when America was sleeping. He didn’t have an introductory press conference, or one in Hong Kong, although he did speak to the media during post-round scrums.

Now, with Kim is back on his home turf. With a better broadcast window and presumably with more fans familiar with his backstory eager to see the one-time wunderkind in person, it appears at least part of that story is ready to be told in the lead up to Kim’s next start. Perhaps some, if not all, of golf fans’ questions will soon be answered.