Anthony Kim’s victory at LIV Golf Adelaide was made all the more impressive by the fact Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau entered the final round with a five-shot cushion over the field.
Most expected Kim to be a bystander in Sunday’s final group, while Rahm and DeChambeau took centre stage. LIV would have loved that showdown, but neither player ever really got going.
DeChambeau stumbled early, dropping shots on four of his first seven holes, while the Spaniard managed only two birdies in his round, one coming as late as the 16th hole.
That opened the door for Kim to fire one of the best rounds of his life and secure his first win in almost 16 years.
Kim’s victory was clearly one of the game’s most incredible in a long time. However, Rahm may feel some relief that it was the 40-year-old, and not someone else, who managed to snatch the win from him.
Anthony Kim’s LIV Golf Adelaide victory shifts attention away from Jon Rahm
Calling it a feel-good win does not quite do it justice. Rahm looked genuinely pleased for the 40-year-old Kim.
In the weeks ahead, much of the talk will be about what this win could mean for Kim’s future. That spotlight shift might actually benefit Rahm, who seems to be facing a growing concern of his own.
There was plenty of discussion about Rahm going winless in LIV events in 2025. While his steady play still earned him the season-long individual title, neither he nor the league came out looking particularly strong.
He dropped two playoffs late in the year, and since joining LIV in December 2023, his overall playoff record across all tours stands at 0-4.
Kim outscored Rahm by eight shots on Sunday. Even more telling is that after recording at least five birdies in each of the first three rounds, Rahm managed just two over his final round.
If you look back at how he pulled even on the back nine of last year’s PGA Championship final round, there is an argument to be made that this trend is not being talked about enough right now.
Rahm’s struggles to finish tournaments are becoming a growing concern
Of course, there have been some tough breaks along the way. He lost out in a playoff to Sebastian Munoz at Indianapolis, where his approach shot hit the pin and bounced away.
He also delivered when it mattered at the Ryder Cup, and then led Legion XIII to Team Championship success.
But while most of the attention is now on Kim and what he might achieve next, Rahm will be left wondering how he let another chance slip away.
The run without a win has gone on longer than expected, especially given how many times he has found himself in good positions to close one out.
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