Former world No. 6 golfer Anthony Kim says he battled “very dark demons” during more than a decade away from the sport, including Drug addiction and a string of injuries.
King was once hailed as one of the hottest young stars in the country, but injuries and lost games wiped him out of the game before he turned 30. In an interview with David Feherty published on LIV Golf Plus on Tuesday, the 38-year-old Californian revealed the details of his long road back after nearly 12 years away.
“Golf is important to me, but at the same time it’s not important to me,” King said. “I’ve been through some very dark moments. I’ve had some very low moments. Even with a million people around me, I felt very alone. I needed to clear my head and figure out what my purpose on this planet was. What.”
King, who said he is participating in a documentary about his life, was a three-time PGA Tour winner from 2008 to 2010 and represented the United States in the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. But in May 2012, he disappeared from public view after quitting after a round at the Wells Fargo Championship, leaving Quail Hollow and heading straight to the parking lot.
King, who describes himself as having an “addictive personality” and knowing he “needed help for a long time,” said that during the time he was near the top, his followers had been trying to take advantage of him.
“I’m not going to lie, I was surrounded by some bad people,” King said. “People who took advantage of me. Scam artists. When you’re 24 or 25 or even 30, you don’t realize there are snakes living under your roof.”
King told LIV Golf Plus that he underwent hand and shoulder surgery as well as spinal fusion surgery after leaving the game. After injuring his Achilles tendon, the former Oklahoma State star collected at least a partial disability insurance policy, reportedly worth $10 million to $20 million.
“I know the public perception is that I took the money and ran away and decided to just hang out,” King said. “That’s not the case. I had multiple surgeries over several years. And my body still wasn’t what it used to be.”
In March, LIV Golf announced that Kim would join the Saudi-funded breakaway golf tour as a wild card, meaning he would not be affiliated with any of the tour’s 13 teams.
He made his first official competitive shot in 4,320 days at LIV Golf Jeddah at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club and finished last among the 53 golfers who finished, 32 points behind winner Joaquin Niemann. Rod.
“I have an interesting relationship with golf,” King said. “I guess I never fell in love with it. What was very strange to me was that I fell in love with the game. It was a very strange place for me because golf was full of pressure. Golf was full of pressure for me. Lots of different emotions.
“Because my family has been through a lot to give me this opportunity to play golf. So, with the added pressure, I’m willing to take bigger risks. That’s just who I am. I’m very capable on the golf course.” Aggression. I behaved aggressively off the golf course and that led to my death.”
King credits his wife Emily and two-year-old daughter Bella with helping him turn his life around.
“I’m so lucky to have these two women,” King said. “Every morning I wake up with gratitude.”
