Anthony Kim One Of Five LIV Golfers To Miss The Cut In Macau

Anthony Kim was one of five LIV Golf stars to miss the cut at the International Series Macau as his difficult return to golf continued

Anthony Kim
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Although he was four shots better in his second round, Anthony Kim still came unstuck at the International Series in Macau as he missed his first professional cut in 12 years.

Kim was one of 21 LIV Golf League stars teeing it up at Macau Golf & Country Club, and one of five to miss the cut along with Harold Varner, Danny Lee, Eugenio Chacarra and Graeme McDowell.

The American improved from his opening 74 with a second-round 70, but still finished on four over which saw him miss the cut by eight shots.

The 38-year-old is returning to the sport of golf after a 12-year hiatus, but after two LIV Golf League events he's failed to make the weekend in his first 72-hole tournament.

His eagerly anticipated comeback moved to the Asian Tour after Kim played in Jeddah and Hong Kong as a wildcard on Greg Norman's tour, after commissioner Jay Monahan revealed that he had also held talks with Kim about a return to the PGA Tour.

Kim returned from his golfing exile at LIV Golf Jeddah, where he finished dead last on 16 over, and produced an "all world" shank, but did show some glimpses of his old self in Hong Kong.

He may have finished 50th of 54 on three over, but it did include a sparkling final-round 65 to show that his old game could still be in there somewhere - but for now he's still off the pace in competitive terms.

Varner will feel the most unfortunate to miss out on the weekend in Macau, after shooting 67-70 to finish on three under but missing the cut mark by one.

At the top of the leaderboard sits another LIV golfer David Puig, with the Spaniard adding a brilliant 64 to his opening 65 to sit on 11 under and share the lead with Jbe Kruger.

Mito Pereira is just a shot further back in a tie for third, while Carlos Ortiz and Pat Perez are in tied fifth place on nine under, just two behind the leading pair.

Anthony Kim

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Jason Kokrak is also in touch on eight under, while Patrick Reed and Andy Ogletree are also not too far behind on seven under as the LIV golf pack look to challenge for the title and also rare world ranking points.

Sergio Garcia is among them, but he needed to pull out all the stops after a poor opening day and produced the goods with a sparkling round of 63 booking his place for the weekend.

Ian Poulter followed up an opening 68 with a second-round 67 to join Garcia on five under, still six shots off the lead but at least making the weekend to try and launch a bid.

Paul Higham
Contributor

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.