LIV’s cryptic Anthony Kim video suggests return is imminent

The video harkens back to the mid-90s and 2000s film trailers with tight shots of desert sand, lightning strikes, dramatic landscapes and trees ablaze.

“In the silence of the desert, where time stands still, a journey begins,” a dramatic, deep-voiced narrator says. “For years, the road has lingered in darkness, but this is a rebirth.”

At that point, the video cuts to a silhouetted clip of a golfer, clad in a t-shirt and shorts with long hair flowing out the back of his cap, carrying a wedge toward the camera. Judging by the mannerisms, it’s surely Kim.

The next cut to a close-up of the golfer’s face, but it’s out of focus and never sharpens before the next transition.

Viewers then get a shot of the golfer’s driver swing, another clue that the figure is Kim. If you look closely, you can see the golfer is gripping about three inches up on the driver shaft, just as Kim did when he played on the PGA Tour.

LIV Golf Commissioner Greg Norman also shared the video on his Twitter page, but also didn’t mention Kim by name.

“He oozes incredible talent,” Norman wrote. “The world has seen it in the past and now it is an honour as Commissioner of LIV Golf to give the opportunity for this star to be reborn. Welcome back and to the LIV Golf family mate. The golf world has missed you.”

When reached by GOLF.com Saturday, a LIV Golf spokesperson said the league “can’t comment on player speculation.” The video appears to put the speculation to bed, if not entirely.

GOLF’s Dylan Dethier reported that Kim was preparing for a return to pro golf last month, but his decision on where to make his comeback had not been made. Kim won three times on the PGA Tour, but LIV Golf likely is offering him upfront money.

Kim hasn’t played on the PGA Tour since 2012, reportedly in part due to a roughly $10 million insurance policy that he would have to forgo if he played competitively again. In that time, Kim’s legend only grew with stories and sightings throughout the golf world, but no tournament action.

Over the weekend, reports from multiple outlets confirmed Kim had chosen LIV for his comeback. He will begin the tournament at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in the King Abdullah Economic City as one of two individuals in the 54-man field, not tied to one of LIV’s 13 teams.

When will official confirmation of Kim’s return will come? It will have to be by Friday’s first round.

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.