Anthony Kim has suggested that he has been surprised since signing with a LIV Golf team for the first time after joining 4Aces for the 2026 season.
It has been a remarkable campaign for Kim. Of course, the American registered his first ever individual win on LIV in Adelaide, with the 40-year-old coming from five shots behind heading into the final round to beat Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau.
He was unable to repeat that feat in Hong Kong this past week. Kim finished tied for 31st, 14 shots behind Rahm.
However, he did find himself back on the podium.
Anthony Kim reacts to 4Aces winning the team event at LIV Golf Hong Kong
The 4Aces won the team event by six shots, with Thomas Detry and Thomas Pieters both finishing in the top three.
Kim posted a score of four under par for the second straight day on Sunday. And after being asked about the improvement he has made when his game is not quite there, Kim suggested that being a part of a team is now helping to drive him.
“Yeah, I think that’s a big difference. I had three bad holes on Friday which cost me five shots on some pretty easy holes. But to shoot two-over instead of eight-over, or 83 or whatever I was shooting, keeps me in the tournament,” he said.
“I didn’t think that I would care as much just because I hadn’t been on a team about trying to scrap out one more stroke. But I definitely felt like they’re counting on me, they’re grinding as hard as they can, I need to keep doing my best, even if the score is not great.
“It gives you a little motivation to play better for the team.”
Kim says he could have signed with another team this season
Kim had spent his first two years on LIV as a wild card. Having spent more than a decade out of the game, he did not have those existing relationships with the large majority of players in the league.
It did appear that he could not sign with a team as a wild card anyway, having earned his place back through the Promotions Event in January.
However, Patrick Reed’s departure threw a spanner in the works. Interestingly, Kim suggested that 4Aces was not the only team he could have signed for.
“I was straight trash the first year and a half I played. But yeah, I felt my game was getting better, and I think I had a couple different teams I could go to. I didn’t think they were the right fit,” he said.
“I’ve known DJ for a long time, developed a great relationship with Thomas Pieters and got to play with Tom Detry in Riyadh. I knew it was a good fit. I couldn’t be more excited to be on the 4Aces, and for us to pop off a win is nice.”
With two trophies in two events, Kim has put to bed any notion that he is a novelty act on LIV. It would be no surprise if there was a lot more success to come.
