LIV Golf Promotions 2026: Anthony Kim fights his way back for 2026

The Black Diamond Ranch in Florida was the scene of a dramatic qualifying thriller last weekend. While a Canadian newcomer outclassed the field, Anthony Kim's successful comeback in particular made headlines around the world. We analyze how the field of participants for the 2026 LIV Golf season is shaping up.

Three golden tickets, 90 hungry professionals and a merciless elimination process: This year's promotional event offered everything that makes golf so unpredictable. At the end of an exhausting four-day marathon, Richard T. Lee, Björn Hellgren and Anthony Kim emerged as the big winners, who will now join the exclusive field of participants for the coming season.

Anthony Kim: The emotional highlight at LIV Golf

The story of the weekend undoubtedly belongs to Anthony Kim. The fact that the US-American was given the chance to tee off at the highest level at LIV Golf once again was at times like a sporting miracle. After his bitter relegation at the end of the 2025 season, his painstakingly built second career was already on the brink of collapse.

But Kim showed nerves of steel when it mattered most. Friday in particular went down in tournament history: With his back to the wall, he delivered the necessary Birdie on the 18th hole to just barely make it into the decisive final rounds. Once there, the 40-year-old seemed transformed. With consistent performances over the weekend, he moved up to third place overall and edged out the competition by two strokes.

His reaction after his success was a mixture of humility and old-fashioned aggression. He emphasized that he was primarily concerned with proving to himself that the hard work of the last two years was bearing fruit. He had a clear message for his critics: he sees the success in Florida as just the first step and has already announced that he wants to be at the top of the podium again soon.

Richard T. Lee makes LIV Golf history for Canada

While Kim provided the emotional highlights, Richard T. Lee delivered the sporting masterclass. The 35-year-old Canadian, an experienced player on the Asian Tour, never left any doubt about his promotion to the LIV Golf League. With an impressive lead of five strokes over the runner-up, he secured victory with aplomb.

Lee made history by becoming the first player from Canada to become a permanent member of LIV Golf. He benefited above all from his precise style of play, which led him through the treacherous greens of the Ranch Course with almost no mistakes. Sweden's Björn Hellgren completed the podium in second place after overtaking the field on the final day with a spectacular round of 64.

Prize money and wildcard status in the LIV Golf League 2026

The success at the promotional event is not only a sporting milestone, but also a financial one. Winner Richard T. Lee was able to enjoy a prize of 200,000 US dollars. Hellgren ($150,000) and Kim ($100,000) also received six-figure cheques.

Exciting news for fans: the three qualifiers will compete as wildcard players in the 2026 season. This means that although they will take part in all regular individual tournaments, they will not be part of any of the permanent teams for the time being. In addition, the top ten players from the weekend qualified for an exemption in the prestigious International Series of the Asian Tour - an important foundation for the LIV Golf ecosystem.