Last-place Anthony Kim shoots encouraging score in first pro round since 2012
A six-over 76 is a rough day at the office for most professional golfers, but Anthony Kim should be thrilled with his performance Friday.
Kim, playing in his first professional golf tournament since 2012, shot a 76 in the first round of LIV Golf Jeddah at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in Saudi Arabia. The 38-year-old made seven bogeys and one birdie to finish the round in last place in the 54-man field. He trails co-leaders Jon Rahm and Adrian Meronk by 14 strokes.
Kim got his day started with a confident drive down the middle of the fairway on the par-5 18th hole, but he cold-topped his second shot and went on to make a sloppy bogey. After steadying his round with four straight pars, the American shanked his approach shot off the hosel on the par-4 fifth hole. He salvaged a bogey from out of position, then he drained a long putt on the par-4 sixth hole for his first and only birdie of the day.
After the birdie, Kim made three straight bogeys and limped to the finish line without another circle for a 76. That may sound like a ton of negatives, but considering the circumstances, it was the best six-over round of Kim's life.
This is a guy who last played competitive golf 12 years ago. Twelve. It's impossible to replicate the pressure of a professional golf tournament in your free time, and we have no idea how much golf Kim has been playing since he disappeared from the PGA Tour more than a decade ago.
Will Zalatoris recently returned from an eight-month absence and shot an 81 in the first round of the Hero World Challenge. Eric Cole, who's one of the hottest players on the PGA Tour, shot a 78 in the first round of this week's Cognizant Classic. And, sure, Kim hit a stone-cold shank trying to shake off the rust; so did Tiger Woods a few weeks ago at The Genesis Invitational.
Golf is really, really hard, and it's nearly impossible in a tournament setting after taking 12 years off. Kim shooting a 76 and not making a single double bogey is nothing short of incredible.
Still, despite the encouraging start to his comeback attempt, Kim felt he left a few shots out there.
"Obviously disappointed with the score, but I played much better than the score," Kim told reporters after the round, per ESPN. "I've got a lot to build on. Just made a lot of unforced errors and that was unfortunate, but I feel like I'm not that far away."
It's going to take a while for Kim to find his groove, but don't be surprised if he pops up in contention at some point this season.
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