In case you somehow missed it last week in the run up to LIV Jeddah, Anthony Kim is back. The hype around his comeback raises a more prominent issue for golf though and exposes a deeper yearning for a fresh face to captivate golf fans around the world.
We won’t dwell on his performance at the weekend either. It wouldn’t be fair on Kim. He’s in at the deep end so it’s not clear what people expected? After over a decade away from the game, LIV Commissioner Greg Norman let slip Kim in the run up to his comeback, Kim needed fit with new clubs - he was still playing with his old sticks. He didn’t even know was a Trackman was. Kim’s comeback and his whereabouts over the past decade still has more questions than answers. Where was he during his prime, and why is he back?
Tiger Woods led a celestial boom in the game in the late 90s and 00s. His greatness lives long in our memories and his mere presence at events these days generates more interest than any other player, but is that really where golf wants to be?
Golf seems desperate to relive past glories and not focus on an exciting future. A 47 year old Woods, with his various injuries, should be a nice addition to any tournament he plays, not the centre piece.
Anthony Kim’s comeback was covered almost universally by the golf social channels. In fact, for a day or two it’s all they wanted to talk about. It was bizarre. Golf publications even used their Friday morning content window to live tweet his first round 76. Despite what you think of LIV, there was a supposedly serious golf tournament taking place too...
Kim has built up a mythical status during his absence; the longer he was away, the better a player he seemed to have been. We're not here to debate he was a top player with the potential to be great, but it’s time for a reality check. He’s a three time Tour winner. Spieth and Morikawa had more wins (not to mention majors) at a younger age.
None of this is Kim’s fault of course, or indeed Tiger’s. They should not, and absolutely will not, apologise for their presence. It does point to a broader issue in that the golf world is ready to jump on the hype train behind its next star. We're hanging on the coat tails of past glories when we need to be looking to the future.
McIlroy might be the poster boy of the PGA Tour, though he can be outspoken at times. He also needs a major championship win to solidify his legacy - it’s been too long. In terms of pure talent, we have Scottie Scheffler who would surely clean up every damn week, if only he was competitive on the putting surface. Despite being the best in the world, he doesn't have an aura like Woods. Spieth does Speith things but after early career success has returned back to the pack. Others have sparks of genius but nobody has the longevity to stick it out, win after win, year after year like Woods, or even Mickelson.
The ongoing battle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf creates further uncertainty for golf. While the established tours grapple with tradition, platforms like YouTube with channels like GoodGood are capturing the attention of younger generations. Social media has made it an exciting time for professional sports to connect with fans, and golf needs to find a way to leverage this to its advantage.
The golf world is ready for its next superstar to unite behind and truly grow the game.