Struggling Anthony Kim Readily Accepts Harsh Reality but Still Manages To Impress LIV Golf Fans: ‘The Real One’

Anthony Kim had acquired three wins on the PGA Tour before turning 25. This made him part of an elite club alongside the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, and Adam Scott. However, Kim’s last stand on the greens for a PGA Tour event was when he walked off it at the Wells Fargo Championship in 2012. After scoring a 74 in the first round, he walked straight to his car, got in, and left. And he disappeared from professional golf for the next 12 years!

Kim finally returned earlier this year, in February—as a member of LIV Golf nonetheless! He made his second debut for the sport at their Jeddah event in Saudi Arabia. Since then, the pro has competed in all 5 LIV events but has failed to grab anything better than a 50th-pace finish (of a field of 54).

While this slow start has caused many to lash out against him, his perseverance has also earned him just as many supporters. One such fan recently took to X to chime in on a long debate about LIV and its players, showering Kim with love and praise. They called him “humble,” and hardworking, and even claimed that he was making “massive progress” with his return. Alongside the question, they also posed one big question to Kim’s haters: “How can you not support @AnthonyKim_Golf”!

Interestingly, Kim himself took to acknowledging that fan’s tweet. Claiming that he was all right about not winning everyone over, he boldly accepted the harsh reality and stated that “the real ones” were all he cared about. “I’m not for everyone it’s ok. I appreciate the real ones tho,” he wrote in response.

It certainly does appear that the LIV golf star has accepted that he will always have many who oppose him. And perhaps rightly so; after all, he’s seen firsthand how not everyone is on your side. Just last month, in an interview with David Fehtry, he opened up about how, back in his prime too, he was surrounded by many who were working against him. “People that took advantage of me. Scam artists. And when you’re 24 or 25, even 30 years old, you don’t realize the snakes that are living under your roof.”

It is perhaps such candor that has ensured that his loyal fans have supported him through thick and thin. Be it standing by him when he opened up against Billy Horschel’s harsh comments against LIV Golf or believing that his not-so-perfect form is just a phase, the fans are always on Kim’s side. And this time was no different.

Golf fans drool over Anthony Kim’s personality

Replying to his X post, fans began showing how much they loved the LIV star. One claimed to adore his personality and not just his skill with a club. In the past, Kim has stated that he is trying to be a good person not just on the course but also off it, saying that his focus is on being a “good son, dad, husband, and friend.” Perhaps that’s the side of the pro that the fan is drawn to. “It’s so refreshing cheering for someone as a person rather than as an athlete as opposed to the norm.”

However, it’s important to note that his fans hold high expectations for a player who consistently fails to place within the top 50 in any tournament. With the second major of the season—the PGA Championship—approaching in nine days at Louisville, one shared how they wished to see him playing there. They wrote, “Hope to see you back at #Valhalla !!!!” Kim, of course, doesn’t qualify, nor has he received a special invitation to play there yet.

The 38-year-old’s return has also garnered viewership for the Rebel League. While for the majority of the time LIV Golf has only been under constant scrutiny, Anthony Kim’s comeback to the sport through the league has earned them several watchers too, this one fan included. “I only watched LIV ’cause he is playing tbh.” The fan even pleaded with the captain of Crushers GC, Bryson DeChambeau, and requested that he make Kim a part of one of the strongest teams (with two team championships) in the breakaway league. They added, “Need @b_dechambeau to put him on his team 👀🔥”.

Again, there were a few who made their loyalty to Anthony Kim known, claiming he was “the real one” for them. They appreciated his acceptance of the fact that no matter what you do, there will always be haters, and claimed that regardless of that, what was important was being true to one’s self. In Kim’s case, this was a lot more than just a golfer! Justifying this, they left comments like, “And you only need to be the real one to those who have you as your real one” and “Brother you are a real one… You faced demons and now you are blessed with a family, career, and peers, and fans who respect you… God bless”.

Evidently, Kim still has many rooting for him, both as a player and as a person. Whether he will be able to meet their expectations, though, remains to be seen!