ADELAIDE, Australia \u2014 Anthony Kim won LIV Golf Adelaide on Sunday for his first victory in nearly 16 years, capping a remarkable career comeback with a closing 9-under 63 for a three-shot margin.<\/p>\n
The 40-year-old American stepped away from competitive golf for 12 years amid drug and alcohol struggles, and needed to play a qualifying tournament last month<\/a> just to get another season on the LIV Tour.<\/p>\n “For it to actually happen is pretty insane,” Kim said. “I just want to thank all the people that have supported me.”<\/p>\n Playing in shorts in front of a large crowd on a sunny day at The Grange Golf Club, Kim made four straight birdies on Nos. 12-15, holing putts of 17, 11, 14 and 17 feet.<\/p>\n He ran in a 15-footer on the par-4 17th to take the three-stroke lead to the last and enjoyed the support of the large crowds as he strolled up the 18th fairway.<\/p>\n He missed 20-foot birdie attempt to fall a stroke short of the course record, tapping in for par to complete his first victory since the 2010 Houston Open.<\/p>\n Kim finished at 23 under. Jon Rahm, tied for the third-round lead with Bryson DeChambeau, was second after a 71.<\/p>\n “I was able to, to produce some good golf today and I knew it was coming,” said Kim, a three-time PGA Tour winner whose best previous LIV finish was a tie for 25th. “Nobody else has to believe in me but me. And, for anybody that’s struggling, you can get through anything.”<\/p>\n Kim reached as high as No. 6 in the world in 2008 \u2014 the year he played on a winning U.S. Ryder Cup team. He played six times on the Asian Tour last year and made four cuts, ending with a tie for fifth in the Saudi International.<\/p>\n DeChambeau had a 74 to tie for third with Tyrell Hatton (67) and Peter Uihlein (68) at 17 under.<\/p>\n The all-Australian Ripper team of Cam Smith, Lucas Herbert, Marc Leishman and Elvis Smylie<\/a> \u2014 the Riyadh winner last week in his tour debut \u2014 won for the second straight week and also the second time at Adelaide.<\/p>\n Rahm’s Legion XIII squad was second, and Kim led the 4Aces to a third-place finish.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n