Anthony Kim, who recently won the LIV Golf Adelaide tournament after a 12-year hiatus, described the outpouring of support as 'very weird' during a press conference ahead of the LIV Golf Hong Kong event. The 40-year-old recovering addict explained that he is typically motivated by negativity rather than positivity. He expressed gratitude for messages from fans, particularly those facing similar struggles.
Anthony Kim's victory at LIV Golf Adelaide on February 15 marked a remarkable comeback for the golfer, who had been absent from professional play for 12 years due to personal challenges, including addiction. In his first major public comments since the win, delivered during a press conference with teammate Dustin Johnson ahead of the LIV Golf Hong Kong tournament, Kim reflected on the overwhelming positive response he received.
"I’ve had a lot of people reach out, especially through social media," Kim said. "I try to answer as many messages as I can. I don’t message back the bad ones anymore. But the ones that are positive have had such an effect on me... everybody has issues."
Kim noted that while the support has been 'amazing,' it feels strange because he draws competitive motivation from negativity. "It’s been amazing, the love and support I’ve gotten. I’m motivated by negativity, so it’s been very weird," he stated. He attributed the warm reception to fans relating his story to their own struggles, including divisions between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, but emphasized themes of resilience and goal-setting.
The messages that resonated most came from individuals battling addiction. "I’ve had a lot of people tell me that I’ve been screwing up, but after watching that, I’m going to deal with my problems," Kim shared, mentioning hundreds and thousands of such notes. He aims to respond to as many as possible, viewing them as people taking ownership of their issues. "Just seeing that other people are changing to better their life, better their family’s life is one of the reasons that I wanted to come back to golf."
Kim also discussed his personal growth, moving away from holding grudges. "I used to be somebody that if you wronged me before, I would want to say something back to you, and I would never let it go," he said. Now, he ignores negativity, attributing this shift to maturation.
A highlight of the win was his young daughter running onto the green to celebrate, which Kim called 'one of the most special moments' of his life. "When she ran out on to that green, that was — selfishly, that was one of the most special moments of my life," he recalled.
In the opening round of LIV Golf Hong Kong on Thursday, Kim shot a three-under 67, placing him tied for 24th, one shot behind Jon Rahm and three ahead of Bryson DeChambeau. He credited his approach of focusing on each shot, embracing advice he once dismissed: "The thing that I thought were nonsense when I was a kid, when people said, ‘just take it one day at a time’... I’m using that as a 40-year-old to my advantage."
