Anthony Kim finally speaks, hints he has not totally given up on PGA Tour return

Anthony Kim’s fire burned bright for five years and then flamed out when he walked away from competitive golf more than three years ago. He disappeared completely and became a cult figure in golf as rumors circulated about where the former ascendant superstar was and what he was doing

In his first interview in three years, the three-time PGA Tour winner did not deny that he may have burned the candle at both ends. He did, however, refute rumors that his prolonged leave of absence from the tour had anything to do with jeopardizing a multi-million-dollar insurance policy he took out five years ago to guard against injury.

“If you don’t like the way I live, change the channel. You’re the one who tuned in here,” Kim told Doug Ferguson on Tuesday. “A lot of the golf public may not appreciate the way I live, which is by my own rules. But I give everyone respect. I’m not rude to anyone. And I treat everyone the same.”

For sure, a slew of injuries have conspired to keep the 30-year-old native Californian away from the course.

“Here’s what I’m telling you today,” Kim said. “I’m going to step away from the game for a little while and get my body pieced together. Instead of going from an Achilles injury to try to go 180 mph and not fixing the problem ... I’ve got so much ground to make up from injuries — rotator cuff, labrum, spinal fusion, hand injury. I’ve had six or seven surgeries in the last three-and-a-half years.”

Now dealing with thoracic outlet syndrome as well as the other bumps and bruises that have laid him low, Kim watches the youngsters play and sounded wistful about the possibility of giving Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth a run for their money.

“Golf is a fond memory of mine. I’ve been watching more and more. I miss the competition a little bit. Watching these young guys like Jordan Spieth is bringing me back to watch,” said Kim, who withdrew from the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow in 2012 after scoring an opening-round 74 and has popped up here and there on social media in the interim.

“What Spieth and Day did this year was ridiculous,” he said. “I’m not going to compete with those boys unless I’m healthy. I’m not playing with 11 clubs. My goal right now for the next year is to get healthy. At this point, I’m happy where I’m at where I’m headed.”

Where that is exactly is anyone’s guess. Because though he opened up to Ferguson, he left the golf world wanting more. Perhaps there will be more, as Kim left the door open a crack for an improbable return to the professional ranks.

“Anything is possible,” he said. “Isn’t that what the slogan says?”

About the gossip and innuendo that he had blown the $12 million he made in five seasons on tour, and that insurance policy, Kim nixed such speculation.

Harry How/Getty Images

“I paid well into the mid-six figures for the policy,” he said. “They wouldn’t have paid me every month had I not been to the doctors, showing them all my X-rays, doing all the treatment, the acupuncture, twice a day for physical therapy.”

Kim also blasted those who believed he left Quail Hollow to avoid a drug test.

“I was mad about how I played. I injured myself again. I ended up coming back and taking the test,” he said. “I’ve never tested positive for anything since I’ve been on the PGA Tour whenever the drug testing started. Never. And they tested me more than anyone.

“These rumors tainted my reputation,” he added, “and I didn’t have a great one to begin with.”