Anthony Kim makes impressive debut for his new LIV team after replacing Patrick Reed

The Anthony Kim comeback continues to pick up steam.

After playing as a wild card in LIV Golf for the past two seasons, Kim is on a team for the first time. And the 40-year-old is already looking like a strong addition.

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Kim shot an opening 67 in the LIV Adelaide event on Thursday while making his debut for the 4Aces. His score tied team captain Dustin Johnson for the best on the squad as the 4Aces took the Day 1 lead in the team competition.

“We’re super-excited to have AK join the team,” Johnson said ahead of the first round after the announcement of Kim’s addition. “Obviously, he’s trending in the right direction. When you take that long from the game, it takes a while to get it back. But I’ve played enough with him, and you can tell it’s still in there. He’s been working really hard, and I think he’s going to be a really good addition.”

Kim was relegated from LIV at the end of last season, but earned his spot back by finishing third in the LIV Promotions event, LIV’s version of Q School. He joined the 4Aces after Patrick Reed left LIV to play primarily on the DP World Tour this year so he can return to the PGA Tour next season.

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Before joining LIV in 2024, Kim had been out of pro golf for 12 years due to a combination of injuries and personal issues.

“I think I’m delusional enough that my expectations were the same today as they were two years ago,” Kim said after Thursday’s first round. “But now I’m actually able to produce some of the good shots.”

Kim is currently tied for third, one shot behind co-leaders Bryson DeChambeau and Marc Leishman.

“I’ve been working hard and it’s nice to see rounds like today where they could have been much lower, but it was still solid and on a tricky day,” Kim added. “So I think I have a lot of opportunity in front of me, and if I just keep working, I don’t see why I can’t be contending on Sundays.”

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