The Multitude Of Reasons An Anthony Kim Comeback With LIV Golf Makes All The Sense In The World

Anthony Kim is planning a comeback to professional golf, and while it's being reported that the mystery man is in talks with both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, only one of those options makes sense.

GOLF's Dylan Dethier sent the golf world into a frenzy Thursday afternoon by reporting the news of Kim's efforts to return to the sport after a 12-year absence. The three-time PGA Tour winner has spent the last decade-plus living in the shadows, without social media, with pictures of himself out in public appearing less than photos of Bigfoot.

Kim's hiding in plain sight and absence from professional golf, however, has been by design.

Anthony Kim And The World Of Insurance

The now 38-year-old last played on the PGA Tour in 2012 at the age of 26 before retiring from the game at just 29. Apart from battling different injuries, the reason for his early retirement centers around an insurance policy from his playing days that is said to have awarded him $10 million.

Anthony Kim making his return to professional golf with LIV makes too much sense. (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images)

The basics of this insurance policy are that he receives the millions if he doesn't play professional golf, but as Detheir noted that policy would be voided if he returns leaving reason to believe he'd owe the $10 million back.

It's worth mentioning that Kim's heyday on Tour was well before this influx of prize money, signature events, and the sheer marketability of golfers not named Tiger Woods hadn't taken off like we see with so many players today. In 122 starts on Tour, he won three times, finished runner up another four times, and had a total of 22 Top 10 finishes, but earned just over $12 million.

An insurance policy guaranteeing you a $10 million check while the injury bug simply wouldn't go away was understandably enticing for the former Oklahoma Sooner.

Speaking of guaranteeing money, LIV would be able to provide that on a couple of different levels.

Anthony Kim Is Worth The Risk For LIV Golf

If it's true that Kim would have to owe back the money collected from the insurance policy, one would imagine the Saudis, the sole funder of LIV, would cover that cost for him. LIV would be in a better position to do so not just due to the fact the Saudi's pockets are bottomless, but because it's a risk worth taking from their point of view.

If you're the PGA Tour, an entity that very much does not have endless money, writing a check worth millions of dollars to have a 38-year-old player attempt a comeback on your Tour wouldn't exactly be the wisest of business decisions.

Having your insurance policy potentially covered would only be an added bonus if Kim were to join LIV.

Anthony Kim won three PGA Tour events between 2008 and 2010.(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Aside from immediately becoming one of the most popular players on the circuit, he'd be competing in no-cut events knowing a sizable paycheck was waiting for him after every tournament. Each LIV event in 2024 is offering a $20 million individual purse and another $5 million team purse. Those numbers get even larger for the Team Championships at the end of the year.

The expectations for Kim will be beyond belief, but even if he were to not come close to meeting them he'd have the potential to add a plethora of zeros to his bank account.

LIV Golf would benefit tremendously if it were to acquire Kim's signature as well.

From its first event in June 2022 to this exact point in time, LIV has struggled to establish anything that comes close to resembling consistent viewership. It's hard to attract eyeballs when you're going up against an established machine like the PGA Tour and it's even more difficult to do so when your tournaments directly align with the Tour's schedule most weeks.

READ: ANTHONY KIM TO JOIN LIV GOLF? FORMER CADDIE SHARES INSIGHT ABOUT RECLUSIVE GOLFER

Kim would gain those eyeballs the Saudi-backed circuit has been searching for, in particular from the 30 to 60-year-old crowd that it not only wants, but needs.

LIV wants to be a product for the younger, more modern golfer. Well, every young-ish, modern golf fan remembers Anthony Kim's magic, his giant belt buckles, and his evisceration of Sergio Garcia in the 2008 Ryder Cup among many other core memories.

Kim turns LIV into appointment viewing for a huge portion of golf fans out there, which is something the circuit hasn't had since its inception.

Follow Mark Harris on X @itismarkharris and email him at mark.harris@outkick.com