Can Anthony Kim Play in Majors? Exploring LIV Golf Debutant’s Ignored PGA Tour Road

Feb 29, 2024 | 4:45 AM EST

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It won’t matter how well Anthony Kim performs. It won’t matter what score he will pose in his first round at LIV Golf Jeddah. There are speculations and conjectures, but one thing is certain: the world is sure that the cult hero of golf won’t climb the OWGR ladder anytime soon. Which inevitably brings forth the question: can he tee up at any of the majors?

LIV Golf doesn’t receive any world ranking points, vital for eligibility at the Majors. But Joaquin Niemann’s Masters invite has buoyed fans’ hopes that something similar might be on the cards for the comeback hero. Yet, that also makes one wonder how different the road would be had Kim returned to his roots—the PGA Tour.

Would the PGA Tour have made it easier for Anthony Kim?

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First off, Anthony Kim has no majors under his belt. Kim has slipped from his best rank, 6, to… oblivion due to a 12-year hiatus. And Niemann had to earn his Masters invite by teeing up at multiple international events. So has David Puig, who qualified for the Open Championship. The only way for Kim to follow suit.

However, the picture could have been a little different had he joined the PGA Tour. Considering his immense mass appeal, Kim had better chances of getting a sponsor exemption. In fact, getting a sponsor invitee to some Signature events wouldn’t have been too surprising either. Notably, three of the remaining five signature events don’t have a cut.

Furthermore, as a past champion, the 38-year-old would’ve been eligible for a handful of events. This week’s cognizant classic would’ve propelled him in the OWGR leaderboard considerably. Last year, Chris Kirk received around 50 points for coming on top. While no one expects Anthony Kim to turn back the clock in a jiffy, arguably his chances at the most prestigious tournaments in golf would’ve been better at the Tour, again thanks to the OWGR points.

AK will get 11 LIV starts. Unclear how he would play the season ending team event. Had he chosen the PGA Tour, he in theory could have taken up membership as a past champion. That status would get him in some events. He could have also received unlimited sponsor invites. And… https://t.co/zjFO5YpEoi
— Bob Harig (@BobHarig) February 28, 2024

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Daniel Berger, coming back after a two-year hiatus, made a 100-place leap on the world ranking after three starts this season. So has Tiger Woods, since returning from his month-long break after the Masters. Seemingly, the Tour would’ve offered him a better chance, as his previous record at the Majors doesn’t present any hope.

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How has Kim performed in the Majors?

In his first major, Kim settled for a tied 20th spot in the U.S. Open. His best performance at any major came three years later at the Augusta National. Setting a course record of 11 birdies in the second round, Anthony Kim posed for a solo third-place finish.

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Next year, the three-time PGA Tour winner soared to the fifth spot in the Open championship. In his last major that season, the 2012 PGA Championship, the cult hero missed the cut. Within a year, Anthony Kim vanished after three consecutive withdrawals from the PGA Tour, before reappearing again at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in Jeddah.