[비즈한국] At the LIV Golf Adelaide tournament, Anthony Kim achieved a victory after a staggering 5,795 days—16 years. For a long period, Anthony Kim had completely vanished from the public eye due to a thumb injury, an Achilles tendon injury, struggles with alcoholism and substance abuse, and controversies surrounding his retirement, which many speculated was to collect insurance money. I, too, used to like Anthony Kim, but after he disappeared, only a faint memory remained, like 'Oh, there was such a player.' Now, however, Anthony Kim has become the hottest and most talked-about player in LIV Golf—no, in the entire world of golf. His victory after 16 years has brought back memories of some of the most dramatic resurrection stories in golf history, often described as the most beautiful. Of course, Anthony Kim's comeback is one of them. Let's look at what touching stories of returns, recoveries, and resurrections have been written in history.
Ken Venturi (1931-2013)
Ken Venturi was a student of the legendary golfer Byron Nelson and a playing partner of another legendary golfer, Ben Hogan. He even served in the U.S. military in South Korea. He had a stutter. However, it is said that he started playing golf because of this condition and could dedicate himself to it, because in golf, no words are necessary. He turned professional in 1956 at the age of 25 and won 10 tournaments over 36 months between 1958 and 1960.
Ken Venturi, who seemed destined for continuous success, was involved in a car accident in 1961. The injury wasn't severe, but after the accident, Venturi fell into alcoholism, leading to a rapid decline and a long slump. Then, at the 1964 U.S. Open, he overcame a serious health threat due to dehydration in sweltering heat to win the title. Ken Venturi also made a surprise cameo as a commentator in the golf movie 'Tin Cup,' starring Kevin Costner and Rene Russo.
J.B. Holmes
Do you remember the player J.B. Holmes, who showed incredible driving distance with his truly unique, self-taught swing? Although it is a bit dishonorable, he was also the poster child for slow play. In 2011, Holmes withdrew from a tournament due to dizziness. Holmes thought it was just simple dizziness, but the symptoms were more serious than he imagined. Due to a brain malformation, he had to undergo two brain surgeries. He underwent a procedure where a quarter of his skull was removed and replaced with titanium. After this surgery, he returned to the tour, surprising many. Even more surprising is that he achieved his third career victory at the Wells Fargo Championship in 2014. It is said that after the surgery, he displayed the pieces of his brain on the windowsill of his home.
Babe Zaharias (1911-1956)
There is a female player named Babe Zaharias. Born in 1911, her real name was Mildred Ella Didriksen, but she later took the surname Zaharias after marrying professional wrestler George Zaharias. Her nickname 'Babe' allegedly came from a childhood baseball game where she hit five home runs, a testament to her unparalleled prominence in every sport she touched.
She won two gold medals and one silver medal in track and field (hurdles and high jump) at the Olympics and was later named an All-American in basketball. She took up golf at the relatively late age of 24, even competing in men's tournaments before turning professional in 1947. She was, in a sense, the original version of Annika Sörenstam or Michelle Wie, who played against men. In 1949, she recorded 8 wins, and in 1950, 9 wins. Considering the number of tournaments at the time, that is an overwhelming winning percentage. She showed an extraordinary ability to win almost every tournament she entered.
Then, in 1953, she was diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery to remove her entire colon. The greatest female athlete in human history did not surrender to cancer. She returned to the field, won the 1954 U.S. Women's Open, and achieved 5 victories. She passed away in 1956 at the age of 45. At the time, U.S. President Eisenhower honored her death, saying, "She was a great player and provided great inspiration to us all."
Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods' history is a history of records. Among Tiger Woods' records—82 total wins tied with Sam Snead, 142 consecutive cuts made, 683 weeks at world No. 1, and 4 consecutive major wins—none have ever been ranked as 'unbreakable.' However, Tiger Woods' history is also a history of injuries. His major injuries began with an ACL tear in 2007. He has undergone surgery on his back at least 7 times. He also had surgery on his Achilles tendon and suffered from ankle and left knee injuries, as well as plantar fasciitis. After back surgery in 2014, he could not compete in the 2015 and 2016 seasons. He repeatedly announced comebacks only for them to fall through.
He returned to the tour in 2017, playing only a minimum number of matches, and then won the Masters Tournament in 2019 at the age of 43. It was his 15th major win, his first major victory in a staggering 11 years. He won by 1 stroke, and the runners-up at the time were Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, and Xander Schauffele—young guns who were in their absolute prime. At the time, fans, including myself, and the media immortalized this historic moment with headlines and text proclaiming it the greatest resurrection in history. Although the odds aren't high, I hope Tiger Woods shows us the thrill of resurrection and staying power once more. For some reason, I don't feel like Tiger Woods will end here. Because he is Tiger Woods.
Phil Mickelson
He won the 2013 major, The Open Championship. During the interview at the time, I was very taken aback when he said, "I think I'm starting to understand putting now." What kind of absurd remark was that? Isn't Phil Mickelson the master of putting, the god of the short game? It made me feel extremely humble.
After that, many fans expected and believed that if Phil Mickelson could just win the U.S. Open, he would achieve the career Grand Slam. I was one of them. However, a long slump followed this victory. Is it the curse of the Open trophy, the 'Claret Jug'? During that time, Phil Mickelson changed his swing coach, underwent two hernia surgeries, and his wife, Amy, was still battling illness. He had no wins for 5 years. The career Grand Slam hopeful had become a worry that he might never win again. But there was a turnaround. He had 1 win each in 2018 and 2019, and although he went winless in 2020, he won the 2021 major, the PGA Championship. He is the oldest major tournament winner in history at 50 years and 11 months old. This resurrection is a resurrection from age, overcoming age itself. It ignited a spark of hope for many over the age of 50 and became proof that regardless of age, one can burn brightly again.
Ben Hogan
Ben Hogan is the bible of the golf swing. One might even call him the creator of modern golf theory and lessons.
Sometimes, when I take out 'Ben Hogan's Five Lessons' and read it again, I feel like I've encountered the wisdom of the ancients, hitting my knee and saying, "Ah, that's why he said that."
In 1949, Ben Hogan was driving his Cadillac with his wife on a damp and chilly road in Texas. He crossed the center line and collided head-on with an oncoming Greyhound bus. He suffered all kinds of fractures including a broken collarbone, compound fractures, a broken ankle, broken ribs, and facial injuries. Ben Hogan was 36 at the time. It was his peak period, as ripe as a golfer could be. Doctors told Ben Hogan that he would be lucky if he could walk again, let alone play golf.
But Ben Hogan stood up again. Despite his doctors' advice, he was discharged in 59 days and won the U.S. Open held at Merion less than a year later. After this car accident, Ben Hogan captured 6 more major titles. Even though Ben Hogan's car accident happened 77 years ago, many fans still pick this overcoming of adversity and comeback as the greatest resurrection in golf history and hold his fighting spirit in high regard.
Such comebacks and resurrections are not limited to great players. Those stories also exist for amateur golfers and weekend golfers. And they exist in life as well. There are very personal and touching stories of people who quit golf due to injury, illness, or other reasons, or were struggling, but then let golf blaze in their lives once again. It's spring. The season is starting. Let's create a story where our prime resurfaces.
Who is the author, Kang Chan-wook? An advertiser and writer. Starting as a copywriter at Cheil Worldwide, he is currently the CEO of the video production company 'The Gaze of the Times'. Fond of golf, he obtained his USGTF teaching professional certification, and with a passion for writing, he has published golf books such as 'The Joy of Golf', 'Bad Golf', 'Sincere Golf', and 'Golf Thoughts, Thinking Golf'. He runs the YouTube channel 'Bad Golf', sharing various stories and thoughts surrounding golf with readers and viewers.