You can leave your passion, but it never leaves you. Just ask Anthony Kim. After a 12-year hiatus, the former PGA Tour phenom shocked the golf world by resurfacing in 2024, but this time as a player of Greg Norman’s LIV Golf. His first appearance since withdrawing at Quail Hollow in 2012 saw him teeing it up in Jeddah. But was his comeback the ‘blockbuster’ fans hoped for? Well, not exactly.

Since his March return at LIV Jeddah, Kim’s journey has been rough. He competed in 11 events but failed to earn a single point in the season standings. Once ranked sixth in the world, with three PGA Tour wins between 2008 and 2010, Kim now struggles to stay afloat. But, thanks to his wildcard status, he still avoided relegation.

However, just when it seemed the magic might be gone, Kim found an opportunity to redeem himself on the Asian Tour. At the International Series Qatar event, he shot rounds of 71-72 to sit one under par, making his first cut since the 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational. It wasn’t exactly perfect though; three bogeys in his second round made for some tense moments—but a clutch birdie on the final hole kept him in it.

“I know a lot of people have probably seen my last year and don’t think that’s possible [contending on Sundays], but I think it’s going to happen,” Kim told Gulf News, confident he’s ahead of schedule. “I 100% believe in myself, and I think it’s just a matter of time.”

While Kim seems quite optimistic about his performance, not everyone thinks so. While Kim is trying his best to revive his career, fans seem frustrated by the constant ups and downs. After disappearing for 12 years, then briefly returning, only to take another two-month break, it’s been a rollercoaster—one that’s hard for even the most loyal supporters to ride. When a recent Instagram post celebrated Kim’s first professional cut in over a decade, the responses weren’t exactly warm.

Fans are not excited about Kim’s return

 One user summed up the sentiment bluntly, “Well, at that level of scores, he can’t play anywhere else except his local men’s club and he wouldn’t even win the club championship….so LIV sounds about right. Best wishes, AK.” Kim is expected to be back to LIV Golf for the 2025 season. He could still be a wildcard individual or be a part of the wildcard team that is being thought of. 

This wasn’t Kim’s first stumble, either. In February, he competed in the International Series Macau and missed the cut by eight strokes. It wasn’t the comeback fans were hoping for, and it seems fans are still holding onto disappointment from his previous struggles. One fan commented simply, “Wasted.”

Others took a more sarcastic tone, like this user who quipped, “Looks like my friend’s uncle who can smoke 20 cigarettes for breakfast and loves gambling, even though he never wins anything.”

It’s indeed hard for fans to rebuild their trust in Kim, and their frustration is palpable. One fan didn’t hold back the skepticism, writing, “Honestly, I don’t think he’s as big of a deal as he used to be and what your hoping to achieve isn’t it.” AK was once regarded to be the next Tiger Woods. In 2008, when he was just 22, he had already won a Tour event, and was so excited by the feeling he got on the 18th, he wanted to recreate it many times; “That walk up 18 was the best feeling in my entire life. I want to re-create that as many times as possible now.”

Some questioned the hype altogether, commenting, “Been meaning to ask… Why does everyone like Anthony Kim so much?”

Well, it’s clear from these reactions that Kim’s comeback hasn’t convinced everyone, and rebuilding trust with fans will take more than a few decent rounds. Still, for those who remember his early days, there’s a glimmer of hope that he might find his way back.