Anthony Kim’s 4Aces Debut Shows How LIV Golf’s Team Model Is Finally Making Sense

I’ve watched a lot of golfers come back from long absences in my 35 years covering this game. Some return with fanfare and expectations that sink them. Others slip back in quietly, rebuild their game, and surprise everyone. Anthony Kim’s move to Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces might be the smartest career decision Kim has made since rejoining professional golf—not because of the money or the prestige, but because of something much simpler: he actually likes his teammates.

That sounds almost quaint in the context of LIV Golf’s first few years, doesn’t it? When the Saudi-backed league launched, team golf felt like an afterthought—a requirement that got grafted onto an individual-focused format. Captains were assigned, rosters were shuffled, and frankly, the team element felt more like a novelty than a meaningful part of the experience. But what Kim said after his Adelaide debut cuts to something important that’s been quietly evolving in this competition.

A Veteran Recalibrating His Approach

Here’s what struck me about Kim’s comments: the man who once famously had the temperament of a porcupine in a thunderstorm is now explicitly choosing teammates he enjoys being around. This isn’t just maturity speaking—though at 38, there’s certainly plenty of that. This is someone who understands that golf, despite being an individual sport at its core, is also deeply psychological, and the people around you matter.

“I’m just one day in, but obviously I wouldn’t have accepted to be on the team if I didn’t like all three of the guys. I’ve gotten to play with Thomas now quite a bit, and just being around guys that I want to hang out with off the golf course is the reason I chose to be on a team because obviously I had an option to stay wild card.”

In my decades covering the tour, I’ve seen plenty of golfers underestimate the value of their immediate circle. The pressure of professional golf is relentless, and having people around you that genuinely lift you up rather than drain you is worth more than a lot of players realize early in their careers. Kim had the option to remain a wild card—essentially, a free agent who could play individual events without team obligations. He chose differently. That’s significant.

His debut performance wasn’t exactly historic, but it was solid: a five-under 67 that tied him with Johnson himself for third place at the Grange Golf Club in Adelaide. Not flashy, but exactly the kind of steady, patient golf that Kim says he’s learning to embrace.

The Temperament Transformation

When Kim burst onto the PGA Tour as a young hotshot in the late 2000s, he was electric and mercurial. I covered enough of his rounds to know that watching him play was like watching someone who could hit it three rows into the gallery one moment and thread a needle the next. The talent was never the question. The consistency—both in ball-striking and in demeanor—was always the issue.

What he’s said about his younger self is refreshingly honest:

“It was a roller coaster. But I think what I’m doing better is using my experience and my age to my advantage on the golf course. I’m more patient out there. Do I want to break 12 clubs some rounds? Absolutely. But I’m focusing on the next shot.”

That’s not a man pretending his past didn’t happen. That’s someone who’s worked through it. And honestly? I’d rather listen to a 38-year-old golfer acknowledge his demons than hear another young player insist they’ve got it all figured out.

His admission that he heard similar advice in his 20s but didn’t listen because of “arrogance or confidence” is the kind of self-awareness that actually moves the needle in professional sports. You can’t teach that. Either you earn it through experience and reflection, or you don’t.

What This Means for Team LIV Golf

Patrick Reed’s departure left a genuine vacancy in the 4Aces—not just a roster spot, but a gap in team chemistry. Miguel Tabuena filled it temporarily in Riyadh, but Kim’s full-time arrival signals something interesting: the team concept is starting to work when you actually prioritize fit over just filling seats with available talent.

The 4Aces now feature a compelling mix—Johnson as the anchor and the still-elite talent, Kim as the veteran steady hand who’s re-emerging, and the two Thomases (Pieters and Detry) bringing that European perspective and consistent play. On paper, it’s reasonable. But what matters more is that these are guys who actually want to spend time together.

In my experience, that’s the ingredient that separates teams that function from teams that just exist. Having caddied for Tom Lehman in the ’90s, I saw how critical that balance is—when your team genuinely enjoys each other’s company, the competitive element actually enhances rather than complicates things.

A Different Version of Anthony Kim

Perhaps the most telling part of Kim’s commentary came when he discussed his family:

“I enjoy my time with my daughter and my wife. I don’t need more support than that. But to have some extra guys that I like being around is going to be very helpful.”

This is a guy who’s been given a second act, and he’s not taking it for granted. He’s not trying to prove anything beyond showing up, playing consistently, and being present for the people who matter most. That’s the kind of perspective that tends to produce the best golf—the kind played without the weight of ego crushing it.

Kim’s debut may not be making headlines as a major moment in professional golf, but I’d argue it’s more important than most storylines getting the attention. It’s proof that LIV Golf’s team model works best when genuine relationships drive the rosters. It’s evidence that veterans can return and be valuable. And it’s a case study in how temperament and maturity can matter as much as talent.

At 35 years covering this game, I’ve learned that the best golf stories are rarely about the flashy moments. They’re about people who understand themselves, who choose the right environment, and who play for the right reasons. Anthony Kim’s quiet debut with the 4Aces is starting to look like one of those stories.