5 Standout Moments From Anthony Kim’s Professional Golf Career

Anthony Kim was one of golf's 'cool' guys during his opening venture into the pro game. He wore his heart on his sleeve, played in a different way to a lot of his peers, and he wasn't afraid to speak his mind.

To back it up, he was a very good player as well, having reached the top level in his early 20s and represented his country on more than one occasion.

Yet, injuries took Kim away from the spotlight too soon, and he remained in exile for almost 12 years before making his return as a wildcard player in the LIV Golf League in February 2024.

While no one is quite sure what to expect during chapter two of Kim's career, we can always look back at some of his highlights from yesteryear in the hope the now 38-year-old might be able to repeat it once more.

DEBUT PRO VICTORY

Having turned pro in 2006 and gone very close to winning on his PGA Tour debut - he finished T2 at the Valero Texas Open after receiving a sponsor's exemption - Kim gained his PGA Tour card at Q-School later that year and set about hunting down a first victory.

He recorded four top-10 finishes during his rookie season in 2007, but it took Kim until May 2008 to finally lift silverware. That arrived at the 2008 Wachovia Championship after Kim surged clear of former Open Championship winner, Ben Curtis by five strokes. Until 2015, Kim's 16-under par 272 total was the lowest score in the tournament's history.

WORLD NO.6

A matter of weeks after his first win, a second followed at the AT&T National, hosted by Tiger Woods. Kim saw off Sweden's Freddie Jacobsen by two shots at the July event .

The California-born golfer's year became even better, though, after two T3 finishes in the final two 2008 FedEx Cup events lifted him up to sixth in the Official World Golf Ranking - his highest career position to date.

RYDER CUP THUMPING

Kim enjoyed a fantastic Ryder Cup debut, earning his country 2.5 points from a possible four throughout the week as they ended a run of three consecutive European victories to land a statement 16.5-11.5 win.

One of six rookies in the US team, Kim capped off his memorable few days with an unequivocal 5&4 hammering of Ryder Cup legend, Sergio Garcia in the opening singles match on Sunday. Kim was so far into 'the zone', he didn't even realise the match was over!

MASTERS BIRDIE RECORD

Kim's best finish at The Masters was in 2010 when he came third, four back of eventual champion Phil Mickelson. However, a year earlier, in what was Kim's first Masters appearance, he set an unbelievable record that still stands to this day.

During his second round at Augusta National, Kim shot an extraordinary 65 that featured a scarcely believable 11 birdies. The week was classic 'AK', with a 75 on Thursday followed up by one of the most memorable outings in the long, long history of the world's most famous golf tournament. 

He ended up finishing 20th, and also received a crystal vase for his efforts. But beating Nick Price's previous record by one courtesy of a 12-footer on the last for a slice of history would have been the real prize.

THIRD PGA TOUR WIN

Kim's stock continued to rise at the turn of the decade, and the American created yet more history by securing a third PGA Tour title at the 2010 Shell Houston Open when he beat Vaughn Taylor in a playoff. 

As a result of that success, Kim became only the fifth player in 30 years to have won three times on the PGA Tour before the age of 25, following Woods, Mickelson, Garcia, and Adam Scott.