It was another tough day at the office for the returning Anthony Kim after he shot a four-over round of 74 on the opening day of the International Series Macau event on the Asian Tour.
The 38-year-old returned to golf with a fanfare as he took part in two LIV events, before teeing it up on the Asian Tour in a traditional 72-hole tournament at Macau Golf and Country Club.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan revealed on Wednesday that he had held talks with Kim about a return before he opted to join Greg Norman’s organisation.
As the American continues his return to pro golf after 12 years away, it’s naturally proving to be a difficult task getting back up to speed – and he faces missing the cut in his first regular tournament back.
Kim mixed four bogeys and a double against two birdies in Macau to finish on four over, that’s 11 shots off leader Haotong Li and with just three players below him on the leaderboard.
Kim, then, has work to do in his second round on Friday to try and make the weekend in his first appearance in a four-round tournament since the 2012 Wells Fargo at Quail Hollow – where he also shot 74 before withdrawing.
In a difficult spell before stepping away from pro golf, Kim withdrew from three straight PGA Tour events, after finishing with a T66 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
His last official missed cut came almost exactly 12 years ago, when Kim shot 74-70 at the Transitions Championship at Innisbrook in March 2012 to miss the weekend.
Kim returned from his golfing exile at LIV Golf Jeddah, where he finished dead last on 16 over, and produced an “all world” shank, but did show some glimpses of his old self in Hong Kong.
He may have finished 50th of 54 on three over, but it did include a sparkling final-round 65 to show that his old game could still be in there somewhere.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
A disappointing first round in Macau will bring Kim back down to earth a bit, but he’ll be hoping to respond like he did in Hong Kong last week in his bid to make the weekend.
At the top of the leaderboard in Macau, Mito Pereira and Pat Perez are just one shot off the leader on six under, with Patrick Reed and David Puig in a big group just one stroke further back.
Among other big names from the LIV Golf League playing this week – Ian Poulter is five shots off the lead on two under, while Graeme McDowell on level par also faces a battle to make the cut.
Sergio Garcia is in even more danger of missing out after carding a two-over 72 in his…
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