Why Anthony Kim can’t be relegated from LIV Golf – despite picking up ZERO points
Anthony Kim is bottom of the LIV Golf standings with one event to play –

but a loophole in the rules could spare him from relegation and leave Dustin Johnson with a problem

Anthony Kim finds himself languishing at the foot of the LIV Golf standings, though an odd quirk in the league’s regulations might save him from dropping out.

Once a shining light on the PGA Tour with three wins and a place on the triumphant 2008 US Ryder Cup squad, Kim disappeared after a spate of injuries hit in 2012.

The enigmatic star completely dropped off the radar until he resurfaced as a “Wild Card” entrant this March, only to face a harsh wake-up call in the competitive world of golf, remaining point-less across his nine showings to date.

Kim is bottom of LIV’s standings with Hudson Swafford, another “Wild Card” recipient from LIV after an injury put him out for the last season. The pair are in the Drop Zone just before the campaign wraps up at Bolingbrook Golf Club in Illinois next month.

Players who end up in 49th place or lower in LIV’s standings at the season’s close will face relegation from the league, with no chance of returning as full-time members until 2026 at the earliest. However, Wild Card players like Kim and Swafford are safe from this fate, meaning they could be back on the pitch next season if they secure a contract extension.

Kim’s chances of being re-signed at this point seem slim considering his recent struggles, but there’s been a gradual improvement in his form over the last few events, culminating in a season-best 36th place finish at The Greenbrier on Sunday.

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A strong performance at Bolingbrook could significantly boost Kim’s prospects – he needs to finish at least 11th to escape the Drop Zone. While relegation isn’t a concern for Kim, finishing above the dreaded line would certainly make him a more attractive prospect for captains looking to bolster their teams in the offseason.

However, Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces teammates Harold Varner III and Pat Perez aren’t so lucky. Currently sitting in 47th and 48th places respectively, they’re teetering dangerously close to the Drop Zone.

Both experienced players, they’ll need to pull out all the stops at Bolingbrook to secure their spot in LIV next season. However, if either of them were to slip down the rankings, it could cause a major problem for skipper Johnson, who might find himself struggling to fill gaps in his four-man team ahead of the 2025 season.