Golfer Anthony Kim Wins After 12-Year Addiction Battle

Anthony Kim hasn't won a golf tournament since 2010, but last Sunday he walked off the course at LIV Golf Adelaide with more than just a trophy in his hands.

The 40-year-old golfer vanished from professional golf in 2012, leaving a scoring trailer at Quail Hollow and driving straight into 12 years of darkness. His struggles with drug and alcohol addiction nearly cost him his life.

But on a sunny afternoon in Australia, Kim fired a stunning 9-under 63 to rally from five shots behind and claim victory. His 4-year-old daughter Bella raced onto the 18th green and jumped into his arms as thousands of spectators erupted in cheers.

"To be able to share this moment and for her to see her dad isn't a loser was one of the most special moments of my life," Kim said through tears.

Kim's celebration was electric. He kicked his legs and threw fists after sinking four straight birdies, each putt representing another struggle overcome. "I think I pulled something in my hip," he joked with reporters afterward, "but that was all the lows I went through in my life that I got to dig out of."

The road back wasn't easy. When LIV Golf gave him a chance in 2024, he often finished at the bottom of small fields. Last season showed only glimpses of progress, and he had to play a qualifying tournament just to earn another season.

His mantra kept him going: 1% better each day.

Why This Inspires

Kim's victory means more than a return to form. It represents a complete transformation of who he is as a person. He credits his sobriety, his faith, and his family for pulling him back from the edge.

"I wasn't the best person, the best partner, the best son I could be when I was younger," Kim admitted. "But who I am today is a completely different person. With God, my family, my sobriety being the key things to my life, I can go as far as I want."

Even his competitors couldn't hold back emotion. Fellow golfer Lucas Herbert simply said, "I cried."

Kim once ranked as high as sixth in the world and played in the 2008 Ryder Cup. Now he's focused on being a good example for others fighting their own battles. His three-shot victory earned him $4 million, but his real prize was proving that redemption is possible.

Kim knows his story might get lost among bigger sports headlines, but he hopes it reaches people who need to hear it. Second chances are real, and it's never too late to become the person you're meant to be.