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Phil Mickelson believes Anthony Kim should be invited to all four major championships.
Over the weekend, Anthony Kim completed one of the greatest comebacks in golf history when he took down Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau at LIV Golf Adelaide. The unbelievable win marked Kim’s first victory in professional golf since the 2010 Shell Houston Open.
Everyone from Kim’s teammates to the staunchest LIV Golf haters took to social media to congratulate the former top-10 player in the world on his incredible feat. Phil Mickelson, who’s played on LIV Golf since its inception in 2022, took it a step further. Not only did Mickelson call the redemptive win “one of the best stories in sports,” but he also predicted Kim could win a major championship this year and deserves a chance to prove it.
Anthony Kim Shocked the Golf World With LIV Golf Win
GettyAnthony Kim’s shocking win at LIV Golf Adelaide completed a comeback story for the ages.
Kim entered the final round of LIV Golf Adelaide five strokes behind Rahm and DeChambeau on the leaderboard. It would’ve been a daunting task for Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy to chase down those two heavyweights in just 18 holes, but Kim made it look easy. The 40-year-old shot a flawless 9-under 63 on Sunday to catch Rahm and DeChambeau and win by three.
Everyone who’s followed Kim’s story figured it was inconceivable for him to ever find the winner’s circle again. The details of his 12-year hiatus from professional golf aren’t all public, but Kim shared some tidbits of that dark period of his life in an Instagram post celebrating two years of sobriety last February.
In the post, Kim described how he became so addicted to drugs and alcohol that he was making “porta potty stops” every few holes in the middle of major championships. He admitted that he “contemplated ending my life everyday” and wasn’t physically able to walk into a rehab facility because his body was “shutting down.”
Thankfully for Kim, he received the help and support he needed to get sober and eventually make his way back to professional golf. Just teeing it up alongside the best players in the world again was a commendable achievement, but winning at the highest level seemed to be nothing more than a pipe dream.
At LIV Golf Adelaide, Kim proved everyone wrong.
Phil Mickelson Says Anthony Kim Can Win a Major Championship
GettyPhil Mickelson believes Anthony Kim could win a major championship in 2026.
Dozens of prominent names in the golf world took to social media to comment on Kim’s victory, but no one took it as far as Mickelson.
“One of the best stories in sports!” Mickelson wrote in an X post published on Sunday. “I wish the win got him in the 4 majors. He might still get in by invite but he really earned it. Going head to head with Rahm and Bryson and winning was spectacular tv. Winning a major? I wouldn’t put it past him. He deserves the opportunity to find out. Just my opinion. Either way he has inspired so many through his hard work and dedication. [His wife] Emily and [his daughter] Bella must be so proud.”
Mickelson has never been afraid to throw a hot take into the ether, but this one has a slim chance of making him look smart. As impressive as Kim’s win was, it was just his first top-20 finish on LIV Golf since joining the league in 2024. Kim was relegated from the league after the 2025 season but qualified for a spot on the 2026 roster through LIV’s Promotions Event in January.
Kim jumped to No. 203 in the Official World Golf Ranking after his victory, but he’ll need to rack up multiple strong finishes over the next few months to qualify for major championships. Even if Kim does make his way into a major field, it’s a much different story to take on a larger field filled with elite players.
As thrilled as golf fans would be to watch Kim compete in a major this year, it’s foolish to think he could win one.
Jack Dougherty Jack Dougherty is an established sports journalist covering professional golf, Penn State football and the NFL with a focus on the Philadelphia Eagles for Heavy.com. His work has been featured on GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, the Associated Press, Sportscasting, Sportmoney, Pro Golf Now and Yardbarker. More about Jack Dougherty
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