Welcome to Play Smarta regular GOLF.com game improvement column that will help you become a smarter and better golfer.
Two years ago, Anthony Kim shocked the golf world when he announced that he would end his 12-year hiatus from professional golf and stick it to the LIV Golf circuit. After more than a decade away from the public eye, the popular golf hero of the 2000s would make a triumphant return.
Kim’s most ardent supporters and enthusiastic supporters expected him to pick up where he left off: making birdies and electrifying crowds, just as he had done on the PGA Tour as a 20-year-old wunderkind. The reality was quite the opposite.
In Kim’s first season at LIV, he failed to earn a single point in the standings, with a 36th-place finish at West Virginia representing his best effort in Year 1. Year 2 was much of the same as he again failed to earn a point and only finished inside the top 30 once. His best golf looked like it was behind him.
But as 2025 drew to a close, Kim’s game began to show signs of life. At the Saudi International in late November, Kim finished tied for fifth – his best showing in more than a decade. Then, at the LIV Promotions event, he finished in third place, earning a place in the league for a third season. On Sunday, Kim ran into Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau to win LIV Golf Adelaidehis first win since the 2010 Shell Houston Open.
So what exactly changed for Kim at the end of 2025? It turns out that the answer is quite simple.
AK key swing adjustment
As Kim began to play his best golf in late 2025, he discovered something interesting about what he had been working on in his game.
“I’ve been working on my setup for the past two years,” Kim said. “I just didn’t know where I was aimed … Since I’ve been back playing golf, my legs have been straight — my shoulders have been straight; my legs have been more right.”
With his spread out while standing on the ball, Kim was rarely able to hit his intended targets. And without the confidence of where he lined up, he had to make unintentional compensations to hit the ball the way he wanted.
During this interview, Kim also revealed that she had started working with him GOLF Top 100 Teachers Matt Killen. However, most of the work was unrelated to the swings, with most of the focus on organizing Kim.
“I really don’t work on my golf swing too much, I’m just working on my setup,” Kim said. “If I can put that away, I know I can hit a lot of good shots.”
It seems that the emphasis on the basics has paid off. Since that revelation, Kim has played his best golf since the start of his comeback, culminating in his triumph at LIV Adelaide this weekend.
Not only has Kim’s journey to the winner’s circle been extremely impressive, but it also comes with a great reminder for all recreational players: When you start playing poor golf, always go back and look at your setup. If something is off, the rest of your swing has little chance of being successful.
