02 March 2024 , 08:00
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Former American Ryder Cup star Hunter Mahan was quick to remind the golfing world of Anthony Kim's talents ahead of his LIV Golf debut in Saudi Arabia this week.
Kim became golf's forgotten man after seemingly giving up on his career following a string of injury issues in 2012. The 38-year-old's last event came at the Wells Fargo Championship that year, where he was forced to withdraw from a third-straight tournament due to his fitness woes.
He had announced himself as one of golf's hottest prospects after bursting onto the PGA Tour scene in the late 2000s, earning comparisons to the great Tiger Woods after winning three events in two years.
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In that spell, Kim also earned a call-up to the United States Ryder Cup team in 2008, and was joined by six-time PGA Tour winner Mahan. Now after over a decade away, Kim has made his comeback to the sport after signing with LIV, and Mahan gave a glowing report on his former teammate's ability.
"It’s hard to tell people how good he was,” Mahan told Golf.com. “He’s really good, really, really talented. He had a really amazing blend of technique that was excellent. His swing was fantastic. Short game was great. Sort of a streaky putter, but his technique of ball striking was so good and he was so consistent, and he was never afraid of competition.
“He was super competitive when you got him on the golf course,” Mahan continued. “He really wanted to beat your brains in. Like he really enjoyed just beating you. There was sort of a Tiger thing with him. He was not afraid of competition from anybody.” The kind words did not stop there for the 38-year-old.
Anthony Kim will play in his first event in 12 yearsHe also received the plaudits of Open champion Brian Harman, who played alongside Kim in the 2005 Walker Cup. “AK is probably, I mean, if he’s not the best, he’s top three, like, most talented, just top-to-bottom golfer ever,” Harman claimed. “It’s incredible what he could do.
"I mean, he could hit it as far as anyone when he wanted to. His short game was just out of this world, and his iron shots, I mean, he choked down this far on the iron and just mashed it. Every one was right out of the barrel.” After entering golfing exile, rumours of a Kim return began at the turn of the year.
Reports suggested the former world No. 6 was in talks with both LIV and the PGA Tour about making his long-awaited comeback, and opted to go with pastures new by signing with the Saudi-backed league for this week's event in Jeddah. Ahead of his return to golf, the former Ryder Cupper was welcomed back by LIV CEO Greg Norman.
"He oozes incredible talent," Norman tweeted on Monday. "The world has seen it in the past and now it is an honour as Commissioner of LIV Golf to give the opportunity for this star to be reborn. Welcome back and to the LIV Golf family mate. The golf world has missed you."