‘I don’t give a sh–’: Defiant Anthony Kim reaches surprising ranking milestone

LIV Golf’s future may be in doubt, but the tour’s best story from the 2026 season, Anthony Kim, keeps getting better.

Just a year and a half ago, Kim was ranked 2,289th in the Official World Golf Ranking and sputtering in his return to pro golf. But after his latest high LIV finish on Sunday, Kim has reached a world ranking milestone that no one would have believed possible in 2024.

Following a top 10 at LIV Golf Virginia, where he also sealed the team victory, Kim has climbed into the top 200 in the OWGR for the first time in 14 years. However, after his round, Kim was quick to remind reporters that he has nothing to prove, saying “I don’t give a shit what anybody thinks about me.”

Anthony Kim shoots 62 to finish T6 at LIV Golf Virginia, climbs world ranking

Beginning the final round at Trump National D.C. well behind the leaders, Kim made an impressive 10 birdies and zero bogeys for a final-round 10-under 62.

The stellar final round launched him up the leaderboard into a tie for 6th, representing his second-best LIV Golf finish ever. Kim’s only better result was his history-making victory at LIV Golf Adelaide in February.

This season, the top-10 finishers in LIV events earn world ranking points, and Kim’s win in Australia vaulted him from 847th to 203rd in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Until last week’s tournament, Kim failed to collect another top 10, dropping to 207th in the OWGR in the process. But his T6 in Virginia earned Kim another dose of world ranking points.

Now, Kim has moved all the way up to 184th. The last time Kim was a top-200 ranked golfer was way back in 2012.

But Kim added some secondary heroics in Virginia, too. Dustin Johnson, the 4Aces captain, chose Kim to compete in a playoff for the team victory, and AK came through for the win.

During his team’s post-tournament press conference on Sunday in Virginia, Kim was asked if his T6 was proof that his Adelaide victory wasn’t a fluke. Kim responded defiantly by reiterating a theme he’s touched on many times this year: he doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone but his family.

“I don’t give a sh– what anybody thinks about me. I work hard. I stay with my family. Happy Mother’s Day, Emily. To my mom, to all the moms that work hard, sacrifice for their children.”

He continued: “Yeah, I don’t give a sh–. This is what I do. I’m going to continue to keep working hard and keep getting better and see whatever happens.”

The high finish was not enough to earn Kim an exemption into next month’s U.S. Open. The top player in the LIV Golf standings not otherwise qualified earns tee times at Shinnecock Hills. Kim was in the running, but Lucas Herbert clinched the exemption with his individual title at LIV Golf Virginia. Herbert is currently ranked 3rd in the LIV Individual standings, while Kim is ranked 5th.

The 2026 Open Championship is offering a similar exemption, and Kim has two more events to try and move in front of Herbert and secure tee times at Royal Birkdale in July.

Kim ended his team’s press conference on a positive note, expressing his gratitude for the support he’s received from fans during his comeback.

“Man, it’s unbelievable. Obviously I played some decent golf 20 years ago where a few people knew who I was, but the amount of support I’m getting from people, not only from golfers, but people outside of golf fighting their own issues, because we all have them, has been nothing short of amazing,” Kim said on Sunday. “I really can’t believe how many people are influenced by me just trying to play golf. I know I’m very blessed to do it. So that’s why it’s on me to keep working hard.”