Shades of Epic Ryder Cup Encounter As Anthony Kim Set To Play With Sergio Garcia In Adelaide
Anthony Kim will play alongside Sergio Garcia in LIV Golf Adelaide on Saturday which brings back memories of the American's epic Ryder Cup match with the Spaniard in 2008


If Anthony Kim is looking for inspiration as he continues his comeback, then his Saturday pairing at LIV Golf Adelaide might just do the trick as he plays alongside old Ryder Cup foe Sergio Garcia.
Kim was at the height of his powers during a stellar appearance in his one and only Ryder Cup at Valhalla in 2008.
The rookie won 2.5 points from his four matches in Kentucky, which included a pulsating 5&4 victory over Garcia in the lead-off match in the Sunday singles.
It was a bold move by Team USA captain Paul Azinger to send Kim out first on Sunday, but he was such a precocious talent that it never really seemed like a risk.
Garcia, who is the record points scorer in Ryder Cup history, just couldn't live with the young American as the Spaniard lost 5&4 and Nick Faldo's Europe went on to suffer a damaging 16.5-11.5 defeat.
They're both on the same team these days in a way, with Kim playing as a wildcard in the LIV Golf League this season alongside Garcia - who is captain of the Fireballs team.
And as Kim continues his comeback from a difficult 12-year hiatus from professional golf, maybe looking back at the video highlights below from his match with Garcia will give him extra motivation.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
Kim has recently spoken again about some of his issues he had to deal with during his break from the sport, including multiple surgeries and severe mental health problems.
He said ahead of LIV Gold Adelaide that he "didn't know how much longer I had to live" during one of the darker times.
The three-time PGA Tour winner returned to men's professional golf in February by playing in the LIV Golf League - where he will compete all season as a wildcard.
Kim has opened up on a few occasions about the reasons for his long spell away from golf - notably in an interview with David Feherty - where among other things he described the multiple surgeries he's had on injuries.
The 38-year-old has shown flashes of his former ability but has largely been languishing near the bottom of the standings so far in his return.
Kim was at least under par in his latest round, mixing four birdies with three bogeys to shoot one under in Adelaide - matching the score of Garcia who he will play with alongside Sam Horsfield in the second round on Saturday.
Maybe the two will catch up on old times, although those Ryder Cup memories aren't likely to be top of Garcia's list of conversation topics.
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.
-
'I Can't See Why Anybody Wouldn't Want To Do This' - Padraig Harrington Outlines Reasons Rory McIlroy Will 'Likely' Change His Damning Verdict On Playing Senior Golf
After Rory McIlroy recently said he would never play senior tour golf, Padraig Harrington explained why he thinks the World No.2 could well change his mind
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
'Basically They Said Act Like A Moron As Much As You Possibly Can, And I Said Well, That's Pretty Easy For Me' - Will Zalatoris on Happy Gilmore 2 Filming After Valspar Caddie Bib Joke
Will Zalatoris had fun with his caddie's bib at the Valspar Championship to revel in his role in Happy Gilmore 2 and his likeness to one character in the original
By Paul Higham Published
-
LIV Golf Leaderboard At International Series Macau: Big Names Dominate As All But Three Of 20 LIV Pros Make The Weekend
It has been an excellent start to the International Series Macau for many of the LIV Golf League players, with Patrick Reed leading the way after two rounds...
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
'If We Want To Figure Out Why The Game Of Golf Is Not Back Together, Go Ask Those Guys' - Scottie Scheffler Insists LIV Golfers To Blame For Golf's Big Divide
Scottie Scheffler reiterated his stance that LIV golfers were to blame for the continued split in men's pro golf, while insisting the PGA Tour still had a better standard
By Paul Higham Published
-
Paul McGinley Proposes ‘One Of The Things That I Think LIV Have Got Right’ To Be Applied To PGA Tour
The Golf Channel analyst thinks a key change implemented by LIV Golf could make all the difference to the PGA Tour
By Mike Hall Published
-
Joaquin Niemann Wins LIV Golf Singapore Title
The Chilean won his second LIV Golf event of the season thanks to a bogey-free 65 on Sunday in Singapore
By Elliott Heath Published
-
Jon Rahm Equals Bryson DeChambeau's LIV Golf Record After Strong Start In Singapore
The Legion XIII captain matched Bryson DeChambeau's record for consecutive scores under-par in the second round of LIV Golf Singapore
By Mike Hall Published
-
‘I Think It’s Dead, I Think The Other Side Is Gone’ - Lee Trevino Gives Take On PGA Tour-LIV Golf Divide And Calls For Players And Caddies To Speed Up
Lee Trevino was full of praise for the PGA Tour and its immediate future, as he believes that a deal with the Saudi PIF may not come at all
By Paul Higham Published
-
Dustin Johnson Goes From Worst To First At LIV Golf Singapore
After finishing dead last a week ago, Dustin Johnson fired a brilliant 63 to lead LIV Golf Singapore by three to quieten all the talk about his struggles
By Paul Higham Published
-
'They Need Us' - Bubba Watson Calls For Top 15 From LIV To Qualify For All The Majors
Bubba Watson says the top 15 players in the LIV Golf standings should all get into the Majors the following year - as the big four events need them
By Paul Higham Published