Those closest to Anthony Kim knew his secret all along
Four weeks ago, on his way to Palm Springs for American Express, Adam Schriber stopped his RV in Oklahoma City to see an old friend, who let him in on the mystery.
“It’s going to happen,” Anthony Kim said, according to Schriber. “My best golf is in front of me. You look, it’s beautiful. It takes time to get my confidence back.”
Fast forward to Sunday in Australia, too it it happened.
Schriber watched from 7,000-plus miles away while relaxing in his RV on the Monterey Peninsula Saturday night, where the golf instructor is on site for this week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He spread the word and received regular text updates from his son. Around the world at LIV Golf Adelaide, his former student was completing a final-round comeback to put an exclamation point on an incredible redemption story, one that most people never thought would come – except for Kim and those close to her.
Kim fired a nine-under 63 to finish at 23-under overall, beating majors Jon Rahm (20-under) and Bryson DeChambeau (17-under), who were tied for the lead entering the final day.
“I know I can make a lot of birdies,” Kim said. “I know my confidence is second. Obviously taking 12 1/2 years out of the game is a long time, and you have to rebuild that confidence. So I think since I was in my 20s, I’ve never been afraid to play anybody. I’m not afraid to play anybody now. I know this is just one golf tournament, but I can’t believe it myself.”
Schriber coached Kim from his days as a promising 14-year-old until he left the game. Although Kim is officially with Matt Killen now, she still keeps in touch with Schriber; they consider each other as family. They talk or text each other regularly, and much of what Kim is incorporating into the course is now concepts he’s worked with Schriber, whose current pros include JJ Spaun and US Open reigning Denny McCarthy.
“He’s an amazing athlete who didn’t play golf because it’s his size, and we’re lucky to have him in the game,” Schriber said, speaking Sunday from the Pacific Coast Highway on his way from Pebble Beach to a stop next week at the Riviera in Los Angeles. “He’s a special gift man, I’ve been with him a lot and he has all the tools, but most of all he’s given himself permission to fail.”
Kim made headlines when he returned to golf in 2024 after more than a decade, but he didn’t have the immediate success that made him a star in recent years. Now 40 and playing as a wild card for LIV, he was demoted after the 2025 season but regained a spot when he finished third in the LIV Promotions event in January, which offered membership for the 2026 season to the top three finishers. Then after Patrick Reed left LIV weeks before the start of the season, Kim took his place at 4Aces.
Making his team’s first appearance in Adelaide, it looks like Kim could win on Sunday morning. All eyes are on the heavyweight battle between DeChambeau and Rahm, who entered the day tied at 19 under. Kim, five years behind and 14 years younger, was in the last group with them, but he seemed to be a spectator. Or a lot of thought.
Kim didn’t make a bogey and was four under at the turn, just one behind Rahm. DeChambeau bogeyed four-nine and fell behind.
Kim birdied 12 to tie Rahm and was on fire from there – making three more to go four straight and take the lead. He added his final birdie on the 17th and had a pressure-free 18th hole as he completed a three-stroke victory.
“Bryson and Jon have shown themselves to be high-level winners, Ryder Cup players, and they’ve played well for a long time, so I have a lot of respect for them,” Kim said. “I knew it was going to be an uphill battle today, and I got the putts to go.”
Before his return in 2024, Kim’s last start was at age 26 at the 2012 Wells Fargo Championship (and his last win was the 2010 Shell Houston Open).
Schriber says he always thought Kim could win again, depending on how bad Kim wanted it. As Schriber said, he just needed to be committed and sharp.
Schriber is among a small group of people in Kim’s inner circle, a group that took satisfaction in Kim’s victory on Sunday. Their relationship is about more than just golf. Schriber still remembers, back more than 20 years ago, when he had trouble separating. Kim called him every day just to check in.
“My friends couldn’t forget what I was going through, but this 15-year-old kid was checking me out all the time. That’s special, man,” Schriber said. “We were always together when that guy was down. And that’s how you know who your true friends are. Everybody’s there when things are going well, but the only real people are there for you when you—- hits the fans. We have that in common.”
