Adelaide, Australia – Anthony Kim made a strong debut with Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces GC at LIV Golf Adelaide on Thursday, carding an opening-round 67 and tying his team captain for the best score on the squad. The 4Aces took the Day 1 lead in the team competition.
Kim’s addition to the 4Aces marks the first time in his LIV Golf career that he is competing as a full team member, having previously played as an independent Wild Card player since returning to professional golf in March 2024 after a 12-year hiatus. He secured his spot on a team for the 2026 campaign by finishing third at the LIV Golf Promotions event in January.
“We’re super-excited to have AK join the team,” Johnson said prior to the first round. “Obviously, he’s trending in the right direction. When you accept that long from the game, it takes a although to obtain it back. But I’ve played enough with him, and you can tell it’s still in there. He’s been working really hard, and I think he’s going to be a really good addition.”
Kim’s arrival on the 4Aces follows the departure of Patrick Reed, who opted to compete on the DP World Tour this season with the intention of resuming his PGA Tour career after completing a suspension. Reed’s exit created the opening on Johnson’s team, which similarly includes Thomas Detry and Thomas Pieters.
“I think I’m delusional enough that my expectations were the same today as they were two years ago,” Kim said after Thursday’s round. “But now I’m actually able to produce some of the good shots.”
Kim is currently tied for third place at LIV Golf Adelaide, one stroke behind co-leaders Bryson DeChambeau and Marc Leishman. He expressed optimism about his form, stating, “I’ve been working hard and it’s nice to see rounds like today where they could have been much lower, but it was still solid and on a tricky day. So I think I have a lot of opportunity in front of me, and if I just preserve working, I don’t see why I can’t be contending on Sundays.”
Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines will fill Kim’s previous spot as a Wild Card player, becoming the first golfer from his country to compete in LIV Golf. Tabuena earned the position after finishing third in last year’s International Series season-long rankings.
