Anthony Kim was a superstar-in-the-making who vanished from pro golf for over a decade, then resurfaced in LIV Golf and, as of early 2026, has completed one of the most dramatic comebacks the sport has seen.

Quick Scoop: What happened to Anthony Kim (golfer)?

  • Exploded onto the PGA Tour in the late 2000s, winning three times and starring in the 2008 Ryder Cup.
  • Suffered serious injuries (notably to his Achilles and other areas), underwent multiple surgeries, and drifted away from the game after 2012.
  • Battled drug and alcohol addiction and has said he felt “very alone” during his 12 years away, even contemplating suicide.
  • Lived a very private life during his disappearance, occasionally spotted socially in places like Dallas but completely off the golf radar.
  • Returned to professional golf with LIV Golf in 2024 after a 12‑year break but initially struggled badly, often finishing near the bottom of leaderboards and earning no season-long points.
  • Ground his way through Asian Tour events and LIV Promotions, then secured a wildcard spot for the 2026 LIV Golf season by finishing third in the LIV Promotions event.
  • In February 2026, finally won again at LIV Golf Adelaide, his first professional victory since 2010, closing with a 9‑under 63 and overcoming a five-shot deficit against stars like Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau.

In short: he went from prodigy, to injured and addicted and completely gone, to long-shot comeback story, and now—at 40—he’s a winning pro again.

Mini Timeline: From Phenom to Disappearance to Comeback

Early rise (2007–2010)

  • Turned pro and quickly became one of the most exciting young players on the PGA Tour.
  • Won three PGA Tour titles, including the 2010 Shell Houston Open, and became a Ryder Cup hero for the U.S. in 2008.
  • His swagger, aggressive play, and flashy style made him a fan favorite and media magnet.

Crash and vanish (2010s)

  • Repeated injuries, including a major Achilles injury, derailed his career; he underwent multiple surgeries and long rehab stretches.
  • Around the same time, his personal life deteriorated as he slid into heavy drinking and drug use; he has since spoken about addiction and mental-health struggles.
  • By 2012–2013, he had effectively disappeared from professional golf and public life, fueling endless rumors and “whatever happened to Anthony Kim?” pieces.
  • Articles and anecdotes describe him being seen occasionally at NBA games or Dallas bars, but with zero interest in the spotlight, competitive golf, or even watching the sport.

Recovery and quiet years

  • Over this period, he focused on getting sober and putting his life back together; by 2025 he said he had been sober for about two years.
  • He described feeling isolated, dealing with “snakes” around him, and needing to step away completely from the golf world to survive.
  • Only in the mid‑2020s did he begin hinting publicly that he might love the game again and consider a return.

The Comeback: LIV Golf and Struggles

Joining LIV Golf (2024)

  • Kim officially returned to pro golf by joining the LIV Golf League in early 2024, his first professional start in 12 years.
  • Expectations were sky‑high, but his game was rusty; in 2024 he never finished inside the top 30 on LIV or the Asian Tour, with results often deep in the field.
  • He continued in 2025 mostly as a wildcard, but again failed to post big finishes and did not earn a single point in LIV’s season-long individual race.

Losing status, then grinding back (late 2025–early 2026)

  • By the end of 2025, his poor results meant he lost his secure playing status in LIV and had to go through LIV Golf Promotions—a high-pressure qualifier—to get back in.
  • At Promotions in late 2025, he survived the cut on the number thanks to a last-hole birdie, then played solid golf over the weekend.
  • He finished third in the Promotions event, earning one of the coveted wildcard spots for the 2026 LIV season and firing back at online critics (“keyboard warriors”) who doubted he belonged.

Latest News (2026): Winning Again

LIV Golf Adelaide victory

  • In February 2026, at LIV Golf Adelaide at The Grange Golf Club, Kim started the final round five shots behind Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau in a star-studded final group.
  • He shot a stunning 9‑under 63, tying the course record, surged past Rahm and DeChambeau, and won by three shots at 23 under par.
  • The win ended a drought of nearly 5,800 days—about 16 years—since his last professional victory at the 2010 Shell Houston Open.
  • With the victory, he locked up a multi‑million-dollar payday and a big jump in the Official World Golf Ranking, moving from the 800s up into roughly the low 200s thanks to LIV now awarding ranking points.
  • The event itself set attendance records for golf in Australia, but much of the buzz centered on Kim’s redemption arc.

His own perspective

  • Kim has emphasized that he’s not trying to prove critics wrong but to prove himself right, saying his game is “trending in the right direction” and his bad rounds are now closer to par.
  • He has also been candid about how close he came to not returning at all, sharing that he battled addiction, thought about suicide, and felt deeply isolated during his years away.
  • Now, in interviews, he talks more like someone grateful simply to be alive and competing, rather than the cocky phenom he once was.

Multiple viewpoints: How people see his story

Even though the broad facts are clear, opinions around “what happened to Anthony Kim” differ.

  1. The cautionary tale view
    • Some fans and commentators frame his story as what happens when immense talent meets injuries, bad influences, and substance abuse.
 * In this view, his disappearance is a warning about fame, money, and fragile support systems in pro sports.
  1. The mental-health and survival view
    • Others stress that stepping away was necessary for his survival—a human decision, not a sports “mystery.”
 * They focus on his sobriety and openness about addiction and suicidal thoughts, and see his return as a mental‑health victory as much as a sporting one.
  1. The pure golf comeback view
    • Another group focuses on the competitive arc: from prodigy, to a 12‑year gap, to a slow, ugly return, and then finally a win against some of the world’s best.
 * For them, the “what happened” story is now about resilience and the rare case of a “golf ghost” coming back to win again.

Quick HTML facts table (for your “Quick Scoop” section)

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Key Point</th>
      <th>Details</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Who is Anthony Kim?</td>
      <td>American golfer, 3-time PGA Tour winner, 2008 Ryder Cup star, famous for his flashy style and aggressive play.[web:7][web:10]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Why did he disappear?</td>
      <td>Multiple injuries and surgeries, combined with serious addiction issues and mental-health struggles, led him to step away for about 12 years.[web:7][web:10]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>What was he doing while away?</td>
      <td>Largely lived privately, battled addiction, worked on recovery, and stayed completely detached from professional golf.[web:2][web:6][web:8][web:10]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>When did he come back?</td>
      <td>Returned to professional golf in 2024 by joining LIV Golf, his first pro starts since 2012.[web:7][web:10]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>How did the comeback go at first?</td>
      <td>Very rough; no top‑30 finishes in 2024, struggled again in 2025, and lost full status after failing to score any season points.[web:1][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>How did he regain his spot?</td>
      <td>Played LIV Golf Promotions late in 2025, made the cut on the number, finished third, and earned a 2026 wildcard spot.[web:1][web:5]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>What is the latest big news?</td>
      <td>Won LIV Golf Adelaide in February 2026 with a final-round 63, his first pro victory since 2010, beating stars like Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau.[web:3][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>How does he describe his journey?</td>
      <td>Has spoken about feeling alone, battling addiction, contemplating suicide, and now trying to prove himself right while staying sober and grateful.[web:6][web:7][web:10]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

SEO-style meta description:
Anthony Kim, once golf’s brightest young star, vanished for over a decade due to injuries and addiction, but has returned via LIV Golf and, in 2026, finally won again in a stunning comeback.

TL;DR: Anthony Kim disappeared from golf because of major injuries, addiction, and mental-health struggles, spent over a decade out of the spotlight, then returned with LIV Golf in 2024 and, after two years of struggles, finally won again at LIV Golf Adelaide in February 2026.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.