Anthony Kim told to target PGA Tour return if he's "serious about being great"

English tour pro Eddie Pepperell says Anthony Kim should be targeting a return to the PGA Tour if he is "serious" about getting back to the top. 

Kim captured his first victory since he returned to the sport in 2024 after a 12-year absence with a stunning victory last Sunday at LIV Golf Adelaide.

It was all the more remarkable given Kim overhauled a five-shot deficit in the final round at The Grange to take down Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm. 

Kim last won on the PGA Tour at the 2010 Shell Houston Open and vanished from professional golf completely two years later after sustaining several injuries. 

His life spiralled downward, with the golfer struggling with addiction and mental-health issues for more than a decade until he made a shock return with LIV as a wildcard. 

"It was a huge talking point however unmeritocratic it was at the time," Pepperell said on the latest edition of The Chipping Forecast. 

"It was a huge talking point. And then obviously now we have him two years on, however many, I think two years on or so from his inception into the league winning. 

"And, you know, obviously I and yourself [co-host, Andrew Cotter], but I've certainly been critical of LIV and will continue to be critical of LIV in many because of the many aspects and features of it. 

"However, there is no getting around the fact that what Anthony Kim just did was remarkable. 

"His level and his performance to go and beat Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton and shoot 23 under par and do it the way he did it on the back nine, holding clutch birdie putt after clutch birdie putt, hitting wonderful shots. 

"It was Anthony Kim of old, a throwback and highly entertaining. And, you know, what a victory for him, but also for live golf on a great week for them."

LIV Golf launched in 2022 and they now boast several major champions, PGA Tour winners and young stars. 

Yet it undoubtedly seems to be the case Kim delivered LIV's best moment in more than four years. 

"I actually think this is the only story that can work for LIV, because they signed some of the most intriguing characters in the game over the last four years, and none of that worked for LIV," added Pepperell. 

"None of that sold the product in a way that any of us wanted to consume it. But Anthony Kim's story has sold it. 

"But unfortunately for LIV, there is only one Anthony Kim, and that type of story is so rare. It's as rare as the albatross bird itself. 

"And so that's not going to continue to happen now that it's happened. And so these structural problems remain for live, of course. 

"But yeah, on a week basis, this was an incredible week for LIV. And of course, so many people were talking about it. 

"And I guess from a golfing perspective, just the level of achievement was really quite something to behold."

PGA Tour return?

Kim delivered an emotional 15-minute news conference after his victory in Adelaide. 

He said there was no doubt in his mind that he would win again, despite what his critics said over the last two years as he continued to find himself at the bottom of LIV's leaderboards. 

Pepperell said Kim's win was a "story of redemption". 

But he believes he should be targeting a PGA Tour return in a few years' time if he is serious about wanting to be a great golfer again. 

"Of course, however, we're talking about sport and the reason that Scottie Scheffler and the PGA Tour continue to sit many, many notches above LIV Golf, in my estimation anyway, is because top level sport, that's it, that's all it's about, the competition. 

"And in my mind, there's still no doubt about it, that it is by far and away the strongest place to play golf, not LIV Golf, even irrespective of what we've just seen Anthony Kim do. 

"[A] big part of me would love to see him continue to play this well and then go play on the PGA Tour in a year or two's time, because that's where you should want to be if you are serious about being a great golfer at this point."

Majors on the horizon?

Kim is not currently qualified for any of the four men's majors in 2026.

He jumped more than 600 spots in the Official World Golf Ranking after his win to 203rd and will need more strong results in the coming weeks if he is to have any chance of qualifying for the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open. 

The R&A and USGA also offer a space into their respective championships to the leading LIV player not otherwise exempt. 

Whilst the PGA of America typically invite the top 100 players in the OWGR to take part in the PGA Championship. 

Kim is unlikely to feature in The Masters, but Pepperell believes Augusta National should at least consider extending Kim an invite. 

"It would certainly be interesting to see if The Masters were to extend him an invite, because that would be a great move for Augusta to do such a thing," he said.  

"And, you know, to have Anthony come back at the majors would be an easy win for any of these four tournaments. 

"Now, whether they do it or not, whether they feel they can even do it, obviously remains to be seen. 

"And I suspect that they won't because of the introduction of the World Golf Ranking points. 

"So, but yeah, look, I want to see Anthony Kim playing the majors. And like the same way, I want to see John Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau play more regularly against Scottie Scheffler. That's how I want to be feeling about Anthony Kim now. 

"But that's really taking nothing away from what he's just done. And I don't want to come across as being overly negative or bitter towards LIV Golf, because it really was a win for them."