Anthony Kim was away from professional golf for 12 years before he returned to play in LIV Golf. While Kim’s comeback was appreciated by many, the American didn’t make great progress in the PIF-backed league, and eventually got relegated in 2025.
However, since his relegation, Kim has worked hard on his game, and this hard work has been noticed by Phil Mickelson.
Since January 8, Kim has been competing in the LIV Golf Promotions Event at Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto, Florida. After the end of the second day, the former LIV Golf Wildcard made the cut. Flushing It Golf shared a clip of Kim’s birdie on hole 18 and wrote on X (previously Twitter):
“Anthony Kim just birdied the last to make the cut on the number at the LIV Golf Promotions Event! 👏”
Phil Mickelson commented on the video where he labeled Kim a “tough competitor” and urged him to keep going. The San Diego native wrote:
“Tough competitor. Love this. Keep it going AK”
Take a look at Mickelson’s comment on X:
It is worth noting that this was not the first time Phil Mickelson praised Kim. In November, the former PGA Tour pro was playing in the PIF Saudi International, where he secured a 36-hole total of 11 under par. After Flushing It Golf shared the update, Mickelson reposted it, stating that he felt great to watch Kim’s progress.
Apart from this, when Kim reposted the news, claiming that the PIF Saudi International week was disappointing since he did not like his finish (T5), Phil Mickelson once again shared his support. He reminded Kim that the latter showcased great progress and that he was on an amazing path.
When Phil Mickelson rooted for Anthony Kim’s success after the latter made the cut at the Hong Kong Open
Weeks after his relegation, Kim made waves by bagging the best 36-hole score since his return to pro golf. He scored 68 and 67, respectively, in the first two rounds of the Hong Kong Open, which meant he made the cut in the Asian Tour event. Ben Parsons, a journalist from Today’s Golfer, shared this news on his X timeline.
Phil Mickelson reposted Parsons’ X post and praised Kim. In the caption, Lefty also wrote that he was rooting for Kim’s success:
“He’s worked hard and has gotten better everyday. I’m rooting hard for his success.”
Take a look at Mickelson’s X repost here:
Shortly after the six-time major champion shared the X post, Anthony Kim commented below, appreciating the veteran golfer for showcasing support. In response, Phil Mickelson encouraged Kim to keep up his ‘great’ play.
