Anthony Kim always bucked convention in the often staid, clean cut world of professional golf.
In his pomp, the American performed with a swagger highlighted by lightning quick, slim hips that supported extravagant belt buckles. But from being one of the sport’s biggest stars, he then disappeared from sight.
And, 12 years on, as he continues a fledgling comeback, it is clear that in the intervening period his very existence plummeted to a life-threatening level.
He remains very different from the golfing norm – the unruly pony-tail and full sleeve tattoo that covers his left arm speak to that. But as a husband and doting father, he now portrays himself as a reflective, mature and grateful figure.
“When doctors are telling you that you may not have much time left, that’s a pretty rude awakening,” he told reporters while speaking at length for the first time since his return on the breakaway LIV Golf League.
He does not go into details, saving them for a forthcoming documentary, but it is clear that after quitting one of the PGA Tour’s most exciting young careers, he fell into an addictive cycle of almost deadly behaviour.
Kim spoke on the 14th anniversary of winning the Houston Open, a week before finishing third at the Masters.
If he was the epitome of athletic sporting youth then, he now looks someone of more advanced age than his 38 years. The excesses of his decline have clearly taken a toll.
His final tour appearance was at Quail Hollow in June 2012 before going under the knife for an Achilles injury. It was the first of seven operations that included a back fusion.
“I was making poor decisions off the golf course, and obviously on, missing that many cuts,” he admitted.
“Once I realised after my surgery that it was going to be possible that I didn’t play again, I was completely OK with that.
“I had three or four rooms full of golf stuff, hats, gloves, balls, shoes, clubs. I texted a hundred people and I said whoever gets here fast on Saturday gets to keep it all. Let’s just say it looked like a garage sale.”
In the intervening years he says he didn’t take much notice of golf.
“I probably watched nine holes of golf when I wanted to fall asleep,” he said. “I just found out from DJ (Dustin Johnson), playing a practice round with him on Wednesday, that Brooks [Koepka] won back-to-back majors (US Opens in 2017 and 2018), which is awesome. But I had no clue that that happened.”
On Friday he competes in the United States for the first time since that Quail Hollow tournament, teeing off at LIV’s Miami event having shot an inspired final round 65 at their Hong Kong tournament last month.
Before his LIV debut in Jeddah at the beginning of March, he had only been practising seriously for a few weeks.
“A few years ago, I had heard that LIV was starting and that they would be interested in having me play,” Kim revealed. “I wasn’t in the place to play golf, mentally, emotionally, physically, any of that.”
Just as he was rediscovering his desire to play the game again, he suffered another setback by breaking his ankle trying to jump a creek while playing golf with his wife.
It happened the day after he had played his first full round of golf. But it proved only a temporary misfortune.
“Maybe four months ago, five months ago, I got a call that LIV was interested and also got a call from the PGA Tour that they were interested,” he said.
Kim confirmed those rounds with his wife Emily prompted the rekindling of his golf career.
“She wanted to play four or five days a week, and so I jumped in the cart, turned on some music, caddied, did it all.
“Nine holes a day. The first few swings were the pink grips that she uses, and I just started to think that I could do this again.
“Whether people believe that I can do it or not, I believe I can do it, and hopefully I’ll be in contention this year.”
But Kim insists it will not be how he performs that will determine future happiness. His mindset has radically altered from days such as when he collected a record 11 birdies in one round at Augusta in 2009.
“I’ve had some experiences that I wouldn’t wish on anybody,” he said. “But through those experiences, I’ve learned what is important to me. Being a father is the greatest gift that I’ve ever received.
“Whatever profession you’re in, how you do that day at work determines how you feel about yourself.
“At this point in my life, I’m able to separate those two, which I feel like is a super power right now.
“I know that whether I make a 15 or whether I make a three, my daughter is still going to want to eat strawberry ice cream and I’m going to do that with her. That’s most fun part of my day.”
