Anthony Kim is plotting his return to professional golf after more than a decade away.

Anthony Kim plans to return to professional golf after 10 years.

For over a decade, he was golf’s Yeti, golf’s most famous hermit, golf’s mystery man and the greatest “what if.” Over the years, the story of his short career has been told and retold with admiration and exaggeration. Even as his hopes for a competitive future dimmed, his cult hero status continued to grow. But now Anthony Kim plans to return to professional golf.

Yuna Kim has discussed comeback plans with the PGA Tour, LIV and potential sponsors in recent months, multiple sources familiar with the discussions told Golf. He started playing more golf. He stepped up his training. He has confidence in his game. According to people, this has not changed at all. Now it only remains where he will return.

The last time we saw Yuna Kim compete, she was 26 years old and competing at the 2012 Wells Fargo Championships. He could not participate in the competition after the first round due to an injury. It was the third WD in a row. It soon disappeared. Since then nothing has been heard from him.

The biggest sticking point in the negotiations was Yuna Kim’s insurance policy, worth about $10 million, which would become invalid if she returned to the league. His decision to join the PGA Tour instead of signing with LIV also comes at a time of tense negotiations between the leagues as they compete for players and potential contract talks focus on and influence the start of the 2024 season. Continue . In the background.

If Byung-Hyun Kim goes on the PGA Tour, he can theoretically resume playing immediately. He can host a few smaller events based on his “former champion” status, but outside of signature events, he should have no problem finding sponsor releases wherever he can, knowing how much he’ll add to the arena. Kim’s insurance coverage isn’t directly guaranteed by the PGA Tour’s lump sum payment, but that’s not how the league is set up. There is no shortage of ways to use sponsorship relationships to generate revenue, build and socialize your presence. Join Kim’s Cash and get your money’s worth by participating or earning a place in the Player Impact Program (PIP). Kim can receive unlimited discounts this year if he resumes his tour membership.

A PGA Tour spokesman declined to comment when asked about Kim’s possible return. According to sources familiar with LIV’s negotiations, the league initially did not show much interest or willingness to pay for Kim to join the league. However, as news of Chairman Kim’s possible return spread, prominent figures such as Dustin Johnson discussed Chairman Kim’s potential value. LIV CEO Greg Norman called Kim directly and negotiations began in earnest, including a proposal to underwrite an additional $10 million in insurance for one year so that Kim could receive prize money and contracts of sponsorship. Furthermore. A spokesman for LIV declined to comment. If Kim signs with LIV, he probably won’t join the team. At least in the first year of the contract. Although there has been talk of coach Jon Rahm joining the team, LIV is expected to field 54 players this year, including 13 4-man teams (52 total) and 2 individual wild card spots. Yuna Kim is also unlikely to debut at Mayakoba next week, but could play as a wild card in the future. The LIV event in Miami in early April emerged as a possible launch pad. From Coach Kim’s perspective, if the first year goes well, he can join the team or create his own team around 2025. There are specific issues that both sides need to consider. The PGA Tour is bigger, closer to context and more historic than the disruptive Saudi-funded LIV, now in its second full season. Ultimately, the Tour is where Kim’s star was born, and even as the LIV continues to attract top talent, the PGA Tour remains the deepest and most competitive circuit in the world. Our tournament ratings are lower than our competitors, which makes sponsorship deals easier. LIV, on the other hand, saw a soft landing. With the big money guaranteed, Mr. Kim can receive six-figure dividends every week, even if he finishes last. There are no discounts, ensuring competitive replays without the risk of losing a weekend. And thanks to the LIV contract, he can easily raise money. Why does Anthony Kim’s name appear in the lawsuit against LIV Golf? due to tour

Of course, there is a third option. If he doesn’t see a method (or business) he likes, Kim can stay in the shadows. You may have missed LIV’s huge contract window. And they may not trust the PGA Tour’s ability to deliver guaranteed value. Whatever the future holds for him in golf. But for the first time in a long time, he decided to come back. Regardless of which path Yuna Kim chooses, her comeback is sure to pique the interest of golf fans around the world.

At the height of his career, Yuna Kim achieved cult hero status as the bright, tough, tough new face of a sport that desperately needed him. No doubt he was also talented. In 2008, he won his first PGA Tour event at the age of 22, and his second a few months later. He also made his Ryder Cup debut that year, teaming up with Michael Jordan at Valhalla and ended the week with a 5-4 win over Sergio Garcia in singles on Sunday. He was ranked 6th in the world. The following spring at Augusta National, he set a single-round Masters record for birdies (he shot an 11-over 65 in the second round) and was on his way to superstardom. Impatience may have polarized him, but he settled into that persona and was ready to act as a force to disturb the usual tranquility of the Tour.

As time went on, his star continued to rise. In 2010, he and Jessica Alba visited Jay Leno and gave him punning lessons. He recorded a pair of assists in the NBA All-Star Game. A few months later, he won the Shell Houston Open and finished third at the Masters, returning him to the top 10 in the world. But from that year he started to fight. In the months and years that followed, injuries came faster than trophies. His 2011 season was still stellar, with a tie for 6th at the Farmers and a tie for 5th at the Open Championship, but there were clear signs of a slide. His 2012 season included 10 starts, 4 WDs, 4 MCs and a best finish of T-42. His final event was his debut at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow. He was only 26 years old.

Kim’s legend may have grown even more since her disappearance. After all, golf isn’t used to seeing its stars disappear. Careers span decades. At first, he had no sense that Kim would be gone forever. His last official interview was with Associated Press reporter Doug Ferguson in 2015, in which Kim said golf was “the best memory I ever had.” He said at the time that he was receiving monthly insurance payments for his injuries. However, he still did not rule out the possibility of a return.

He told Ferguson: “Ask me in two years.” However, there were no signs of Kim’s return for the next few years. It has barely arrived. In April 2019, a golf fan ran into her at a coffee shop in West Hollywood, California. In the summer of 2020, a photo was released showing Kim holding a white toenail during a public appearance. A mysterious swing video with an unknown date and time has been released, surprising fans. You get the point. Her longtime swing coach Adam Schrieber posted a photo of himself with Kim to ring in the new year 2021 with the cryptic caption, “2021 is going to be special.”

But at the time, golf fans didn’t know what to expect. They all wanted to see him again. But is he really playing again after 10 years?

Instead, 2024 is likely to be special. I had no idea how serious Kim was about a comeback until this fall when she started showing her emotions. Later negotiations took place. A decision is now awaited as the LIV season starts in the first week of February.

LIV’s other moves are also extreme. The Jon Rahm signing made headlines last December, but official roster announcements have been slow to come. When he joined this week, his roster had at least one spot open, as did Clix’s. Speculation and heated conversations ensued as other players filed PGA Tour reports against LIV.

It is not yet known which door Mr. Kim will pass through. But the fact that he’s hitting has golf fans wondering where he’ll play next and what he’ll look like when he hits.