Getty
Anthony Kim of Wild Card tees off at hole 7th on day one of LIV Golf Singapore at Sentosa Golf Club on March 14, 2025.
LIV Golf’s evolving competitive structure produced one of the most talked-about storylines of early 2026: Anthony Kim has earned his way back onto the LIV Golf League through the circuit’s Promotions event at Black Diamond Ranch in Florida.
After being relegated following the 2025 season, the former PGA Tour standout battled through four rounds of intense stroke play to secure one of three coveted full-season spots for the upcoming 2026 LIV season.
Kim’s return represents both a personal milestone and a broader success story within the league’s unique promotion and relegation system. His journey back to the LIV stage underscores how the league is attempting to balance competitive merit with its star-driven, innovative format.
From Hiatus to Relegation to Redemption
Kim’s professional golf career has been a rollercoaster marked by early success, long absence, and a challenging comeback. A three-time PGA Tour winner and Ryder Cup player in his prime, Kim stepped away from competitive golf for more than a decade before reemerging on the LIV circuit in 2024.
After joining LIV Golf as a wildcard entrant, Kim’s performance in the regular season left him outside the top ranks, resulting in relegation from the league for the 2026 season. Undeterred, the 40-year-old American leveraged the Promotions event to fight his way back onto the premier tour.
On Sunday, Kim delivered under fire, finishing in solo third place (-5).
“I’m not here to prove everybody wrong. I’m here to prove myself right,” Kim said.
“I’ve worked so hard, and this little girl right here is one of the reasons why. Obviously, my wife has been so supportive. I’ve had so much support behind me all year, the last two years since I’ve been back. I’m so grateful that I’m back on the stage.”
A Weekend Earned: The Promotion Battle
After advancing to the final rounds with a solid performance Friday, including a clutch putt to make the weekend, Kim posted rounds of 66 and 69 over the weekend to finish well clear of the chasing pack.
Kim joins Canadian Richard T. Lee, who dominated the tournament to win at 11 under, and Sweden’s Bjorn Hellgren, who finished second (-6). Both earned full LIV Golf cards alongside Kim, and they will all tee it up when the league opens its 2026 season in Riyadh next month.
Lee’s victory marks him as the first Canadian to earn a LIV Golf card via this pathway, adding another compelling subplot to the Promotions event. Hellgren’s steady performance throughout the week also highlighted the depth of international talent looking to compete on the burgeoning tour.
“It feels amazing,” Lee said. “Hopefully a Canadian team happens soon.”
Here is a look at the full Promotions leaderboard:
1st Richard T. Lee (-11)
2nd Bjorn Hellgren (-6)
3rd Anthony Kim (-5)
T4 Lucas Bjerregaard (-3)
T4 Jeunghun Wang (-3)
T4 Sarit Suwannarut (-3)
T4 Kieran Vincent (-3)
T8 Oliver Bekker (-2)
T8 Jazz Janewattananond (-2)
T8 Takanori Konishi (-2)
T8 Matt Jones (-2)
T8 Cory Crawford (-2)
T8 Christopher Wood (-2)
T14 Rattanon Wannasrichan (-1)
15th Joe Pagdin (E)
T16 Julian Perico (+2)
T16 Travis Smyth (+2)
T16 Miguel Tabuena (+2)
T16 Sadom Kaewkanjana (+2)
20th Jose Islas (+4)
21st Max Kennedy (+5)
22nd Danthai Boonma (+13)
LIV Golf’s Promotion System in Focus
The Promotions event itself reflects LIV Golf’s evolving competitive model, which blends elements of traditional golf tour structures with innovative twists. Unlike most professional golf tours where status is largely earned through past performance and exemptions, LIV’s relegation and promotion system puts a premium on current form and offers players a direct path back into the league.
Under the 2026 system, the top three finishers at the Promotions event earn full LIV Golf cards for the coming season, while the top ten and ties also secure exemption into the 2026 International Series; another competitive pathway and opportunity for world ranking points.
Alyssa Polczynski Alyssa Polczynski is a multimedia journalist covering Major League Baseball for Heavy.com. She has experience as an editorial producer for MLB.com and contributed to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). More about Alyssa Polczynski
More Heavy on Golf
Loading more stories