Former rising star Anthony Kim among three to earn spots via LIV Golf Promotions
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From left: Anthony Kim, Richard T. Lee and Bjorn Hellgren celebrating after taking the top three spots in the LIV Golf Black Diamond Ranch Promotions golf tournament.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MIAMI – Richard T. Lee of Canada, Bjorn Hellgren of Sweden and former wunderkind Anthony Kim earned wildcard spots for the 2026 LIV Golf season by placing on the LIV Golf Promotions podium on Jan 11 in Lecanto, Florida.
Lee sailed to a five-shot win over the field by following a six-under 64 on Jan 10 with a 65 to land at 11-under 129. Hellgren had the round of the day on Jan 11, a 64 with eight birdies, to get to second at 134.
The biggest name at the event, though, was former world No. 6 Kim, who stopped playing in 2012 before signing with LIV in 2024 for his comeback.
A wild card for two years, he was relegated after the 2025 season and had to qualify to regain his place in the league. After he made the cut on Jan 9 at Black Diamond Ranch, the scores reset and Kim went 66-69 on the weekend to place third at 135.
It marks an eye-catching turnaround for the 40-year-old from California. He also went through rehab for drug and alcohol addiction and has said before that doctors had given him grave warnings about his health.
“There’s a ton of satisfaction. A ton,” Kim said.
“I’m sure I’ll understand that all that work has really shown this week, maybe later tonight when I’m drinking an iced tea.
“But yeah, it means a lot to me because three years ago, doctors had told me that I potentially had two weeks to live. So just to be here standing in front of you guys is a blessing.”
Kim had room to spare when he bogeyed his last hole on Jan 11. He finished two shots ahead of a four-way tie for fourth.
As for Lee, he was the best golfer on the property all week. He shot a 64 on Jan 8 in the opening “play-in round”, from which Hellgren and Kim were exempted. Lee finished the week with a six-birdie, one-bogey trip around the course.
“(The course layout) just really fits the fade shots that I have and the low fade shots just to keep it in the fairway,” he said. “The greens definitely helped me out a lot. I was very comfortable on the greens this week.”
The 35-year-old is a long-time Asian Tour player who made the cut on the PGA Tour’s Canadian Open last season with a 67-64 start. He is also the first Canadian player to become a member of LIV Golf.
“I think more Canadians should come in and we should make a team,” Lee said.
Hellgren, also 35, has wins on the Asian Tour, Swedish Golf Tour and Nordic Golf League. He birdied four of his last six holes, including at the par-three 17th and par-four 18th, to reach the top three.
“It kind of shows to all the guys, too, that are in my position back home that you might not be playing on the PGA Tour, but we’re travelling the world and grinding it out,” he said. “A few good weeks and then you’re in it. That’s pretty amazing.”
The top 10 players plus ties at LIV Golf Promotions also received an exemption into the Asian Tour’s International Series events.
In addition to the top three finishers, those players are Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard, South Korea’s Wang Jeung-hun, Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut and Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent (137), and South Africa’s Oliver Bekker, Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, Japan’s Takanori Konishi and Australians Matt Jones, Cory Crawford and Christopher Wood (138). REUTERS
