After Fighting Inner Demons, Anthony Kim’s Sobriety Helps to Ignore Taxing Factors & Win Fans’ Hearts: ‘Keep Doing You’

“My focus is on my family and sobriety,” declared a content Anthony Kim truthfully in reply to Brandel Chamblee during the recent back-and-forth that the two had with each other. He then went ahead to thank LIV Golf for the second chance he was given. As a result, many in the community tried to attack the golfer through the comments under his tweets. But it seems the athlete wasn’t too concerned with the jabs, all thanks to his sobriety, which helps him focus more on his family.

Kim shared another post on his X handle as a reply to all the hate he was receiving. He sarcastically asked them to stop before begging them not to be cruel in a similar tone: “Ok guys stop it I’m so sad. Ur comments are hurting my feelings sooo bad please I’m begging u.” Adding on, he shared a picture of himself with his 2-year-old daughter, Bella, while dubbing her nothing short of an “angel” when he said, “I am blessed prob more than I deserve w this angel so I liv w so much #gratitude. Have a great Saturday.” Well, the recent post exuding much love for his daughter did go ahead and break the internet resulting in an outpouring of support by the fans!

The last 12 years before his comeback were a dark period for the golfer. Anthony Kim’s break from the sport was filled with surgeries and other health issues. That’s not all. He had even struggled with addiction through the decade, leading him to not remember much about the same. However, he made a comeback in his life. Thus, complimenting his struggles, a fan couldn’t help but comment, “Haters who haven’t been to the bottom and overcome major life s**t don’t realize that we have all said that negative stuff in our heads already so big whoop keep hating we keep overcoming LFG”. Soon after, he followed it with a comeback to the sport when he signed a deal with LIV Golf becoming the wild card entry at Jeddah. Another follower thus responded, “I remember you bursting on the scene and then getting 11 birdies at Augusta. I loved the song by @sam_golf about you and wondered if you’d ever come back. So glad that you gave, I’m not a LIV fan but you’ve make me check the leaderboard for every LIV event now. Go well.” The American pro had, during the second round of his Masters debut in 2009, scored a total of 11 birdies, aside from the other 11 he dished out in the rest of the rounds. Although he could only finish T20, the memory seems fresh in his fans’s minds.

A year and a half before his comeback, things started looking up for Kim as he began working on himself to improve his life. Sadly, he was hit with a piece of shocking news. Apparently, the 12 years of struggle, which included his addiction among other things, led to a grim revelation by one of his doctors. The pro was informed of how he would never be able to become a father. But, fortune smiled on him as he welcomed his daughter Belle to the world back in 2022. And, being a girl dad led to many of his fans relating with him as well: “Always with you AK. Fellow #GirlDad”, “Girl dad’s playin golf!!!”, “No better feeling in the world than being a #girldad Keep crushing it dude. We are all rooting for you.”, “Keep doing you!! Played with you in college. You’re a bigger star now as a Dad than you’ve ever been. Only thing you need to do is have more kids!!!” At the same time, one person came forward to point out the Nike shoes that his daughter was sporting, “Your daughter’s sneaker game well exceeds mine.”

He was showered with tremendous response from the golfing community. Meanwhile, one can’t help but wonder what started everything, including his spat with Brandel Chamblee, which went ahead and blew up on the internet.

The Anthony Kim-Brandel Chamblee tussle

Chamblee had recently admitted that having a deal with the Saudis is the “better end of the bargain” for golf right now while agreeing with Rory McIlroy. Following the same, the 38-year-old LIV golfer went ahead to call out the former pro for his hypocrisy while calling him a “p***y” on social media.

The 61-year-old did not sit still after the tweet was uploaded as well. He revealed the reasoning he had behind issuing the statement, all the while staying strong in his dislike for the Public Investment Fund and the Saudis: “It’s something I’ve said recently because I don’t think the Saudis are going to turn away from the game and they will continue to be a poaching threat and dilute the product of the PGA Tour.” 

Consequently, Kim also responded with his declaration, “My focus is on my family and sobriety so I just stated the truth. I am so grateful @livgolf_league for this second chance as I know not everyone gets them. I’ll continue to call it as i c it.” This, in turn, had elicited a whole new flurry of responses from PGA Tour loyalists, resulting in the recent post.

It was a long chain of bickering that took place between Anthony Kim and Brandel Chamblee. However, regardless of the outcome, it seems the LIV golfer is now content with his side of the story without any further care. Truly an uncaring attitude!