ADELAIDE: An “overwhelmed” Anthony Kim outplayed two-time major winner Jon Rahm to capture his maiden LIV Golf title Sunday and first on any tour since 2010 to complete an amazing redemption story.
The 40-year-old American, a one-time alcoholic, fired a nine-under-par 63, surging home with five birdies on the back nine to claim victory in Adelaide by three strokes.
He began the day five behind former world number one Rahm and fellow overnight leader Bryson DeChambeau, but reeled them in at Grange Golf Club with a faultless round.
In front of bumper crowds and a carnival atmosphere, he finished at 23-under, three clear of Spain’s Rahm, who never really got going, mixing two birdies with a bogey in his 71.
American DeChambeau, also a two-time major winner, suffered a horror round with four bogeys in six holes on the front nine to slide down the leaderboard.
He finished tied for third, six off the pace, with Tyrrell Hatton and Peter Uihlein.
Victory capped an incredible comeback by Kim — a Ryder Cup champion, three-time PGA Tour winner and former world number six who retired from golf in 2012.
After battling drug and alcohol addiction and suicidal thoughts, he returned to the sport in 2024 as a wildcard on the Saudi-backed LIV Tour.
He was relegated last season but earned his way back at last month’s LIV Golf Promotions when he claimed one of three qualifying spots.
Kim then got offered a full-time position with Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces GC for the 2026 season when Patrick Reed suddenly quit to play on the DP World Tour.
He paid tribute to his family for helping him through the hard times and to his first win since the Houston Open in 2010.
“It’s been overwhelming,” he said. “But I’m never not going to fight for my family.
“God gave me a talent. I was able to produce some good golf today. I knew it was coming.
“Nobody else has to believe in me, but me. And for anybody that’s struggling, you can get through anything.”
A precocious talent who burst on the scene in 2006, Kim was the spark-plug of the 2008 US Ryder Cup team that beat Europe at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky.
He won three PGA Tour titles before his sensational decision to walk away.
“I just want to thank all the people that have supported me when I was not playing well and I was struggling on the verge of never coming back to live,” said Kim, who announced in 2025 that he had been sober for two years.
Kim was coming off his best result in his 25 LIV Golf starts, a tie for 22nd at last week’s season-opening tournament in Riyadh.
Emotional Kim captures first title in 16 years at LIV Adelaide
https://arab.news/9zcnw
Emotional Kim captures first title in 16 years at LIV Adelaide
- An “overwhelmed” Anthony Kim outplayed two-time major winner Jon Rahm to capture his maiden LIV Golf title Sunday
Medvedev to face Griekspoor in bid for second Dubai title
- Former world No. 1 Medvedev demolished top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in the semifinal
- Despite an injury, unseeded Dutchman Griekspoor beat 5th-seed Andrey Rublev in the other semifinal
DUBAI: Daniil Medvedev reached the Dubai Tennis Championships final on Friday and will face unseeded Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor as the Russian attempts to achieve something that has eluded him throughout his stellar career — winning the same tournament twice.
Former world number one Medvedev demolished top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 6-2 in an 83-minute semifinal, setting up a title clash that could see him claim a second Dubai crown to go with his 2023 triumph.
Medvedev, who has won 22 titles at 22 different tournaments, arrived in Dubai with a point to prove after early exits in Rotterdam and Doha.
However, the third seed has been in scintillating form in Dubai, dispatching Shang Juncheng, Stan Wawrinka, Jenson Brooksby and Auger-Aliassime — all in straight sets.
“It has been an amazing four matches, probably playing better and better each match, today being the best performance,” said Medvedev.
“If I can put in an even better performance tomorrow, I will have my chances to win and that is what I am going to try to do.”
Griekspoor battles injury to beat Rublev
Standing in his way will be Griekspoor, who continued his giant-killing run by beating fifth seed Andrey Rublev 7-5 7-6(6) in the other semifinal.
The Dutchman denied the 2022 champion, who also finished runner-up the following year, another shot at the Dubai trophy, saving two set points in the second-set tiebreak.
“No idea how I pulled off this one, I could barely walk at the end of the first set,” said Griekspoor, who took a medical timeout for treatment in the opening set.
“He served extremely well. I got very lucky in the tiebreak to win it in two sets ... I landed with a serve and felt something in my hamstring.
“If he had won the tiebreak, I don’t know if I would have continued.”
It marked three consecutive top-20 wins for Griekspoor for the first time in his career after he beat second seed Alexander Bublik and Jakub Mensik en route to the final.
Griekspoor, who has won three ATP 250 titles in his career, will be looking to add a first ATP 500 trophy to his collection when he faces Medvedev.
