“If someone told me this three years ago, I would have thought they were on drugs”. Anthony Kim, who will be in the star match this Sunday for the final round of LIV Golf Australia alongside Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, said the phrase with a half-smile. It’s the story of the year. He knows it, and everyone else does too. His chances of victory are minimal because he is five strokes behind the two Miuras, but his mere presence there is almost worthy of writing a book. Because what has been brewing in Adelaide, in the most spectacular tournament of the LIV Golf calendar in terms of audience and atmosphere, is exactly that: a movie script. And, at the same time, perfect for the Saudi league. Unbeatable.
It’s the particular “match of the century” for LIV, if the hyperbole is allowed. It brings together in the final group its two great stars, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, and an Anthony Kim who has become the most media-covered name on the circuit due to a story of overcoming that has brought back into focus a player who was lost to the general public and society. It’s not just that he’s back, it’s that he’s playing very well and regaining his best form, the one that led him to be in the world top 10. Let’s not forget that Kim has been out of golf for twelve years.
Kim signed four under par in the third round and, beyond the result, left the phrase that sums up the impact he generates: “It was always the goal to be in the final group and give yourself a chance to win a tournament… but if you asked me three years ago, I would have said you were on drugs”. What seemed unlikely has become real. The brand-new signing of the Aces sees himself “where he feels he belongs”, convinced that “the work is paying off”. He already warned that his goal was to win, and certainly, it seems he is determined.
And if Kim is the emotional ingredient, Rahm and DeChambeau bring the competitive fire. Head to head. Both at -19. “It’s going to be a good day… Jon is a fierce competitor, it’s tough to play against him”, Bryson warned after the third round, anticipating a Sunday where both have distanced themselves from the rest and turned the outcome into a high-voltage battle. It’s no coincidence that when asked about what to expect in the final round, Bryson himself insisted: “It’s going to be a fun battle”.
Rahm, for his part, did not hide the effect of the Adelaide atmosphere, that open-air stadium that turns golf into a spectacle and in LIV has its great showcase: creativity, noise, energy, and a crowd that pushes everyone. “You feed off that energy and it helps”, explained the Spaniard, convinced that the audience has had a lot to do with the low scores and special moments being witnessed. And, even with the pressure of playing to win, he left another idea that defines the tone: “Hopefully it’s a spectacle… and may the best man win”. Although no one believes that. Jon wants to win above all, no matter if the best is someone else…
In that context, Kim’s presence adds a different layer to the “match of the century”. Rahm and DeChambeau were full of praise for him. Bryson spoke of an “incredible” story and argued that it deserves much more attention, highlighting the American’s personal and sporting journey, his ability to “improve 1% every day” and the symbolic value of seeing him up there. Rahm was even more graphic: after sharing a long car journey with Kim in Riyadh, he assured that what he is doing “is nothing short of extraordinary” and even wished that someone would tell his life story in the form of a documentary, film, or book: “From where he was to where he is now”. He even went a step further: seeing his recent progression, he admitted that he wouldn’t be surprised if this season ended with him lifting a trophy.
So Adelaide already has what it wanted: a Sunday of noise, tension, and a great story. The two great captains, face to face, with knives drawn; and, by their side, the player everyone is talking about. Kim summed it up without embellishment: “It’s been a crazy week”. And LIV now has the perfect stage: Rahm vs DeChambeau, with Anthony Kim as the emotional and media factor, on the big day, in the place where the crowd presses like in no other tournament of the year. The best part is that, for once, there’s no need to sell smoke. It’s real and it’s happening.
