Interesting article about Kim having a $10-20 million Insurance Policy (tax free) against career-ending injuries.

One swing on the tour voids the policy. Due to the tax free nature of the policy, he would need to make roughly $35 million in winnings/endorsements just to break even on the settlement.

http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2014/09/report-anthony-kim-might-not-p.html

At one time, was my favorite golfer. Very likable on the course, despite is off-course lifestyle (although you could argue that it made home more likable).

Being a cokehead makes one more likable?

See John Daly.

There's no doubt that part of Kim's huge following by the younger demographic was due to the stories about him staying out until 5 in the morning and teeing off at 7.

Same with Manziel's partying ways. Some loved him for it. It rubbed others the wrong way.

Interesting. Curious as to what the folks on the board would decide to do. After initially reading this and the nature of the payout I think I would probably take the $10M as it could be very tough for him to rake $35M given how long he has been gone.

I doubt it will be very simple given Kim's track record. Insurance companies don't usually just crack out a check for big $$$$$$$$$$ without looking up someones tail with a microscope. Kinda like nfl teams drafting qbs

If I thought I could get back to where he was 4 years ago and I was healthy then no doubt I would come back. Unless he fell out of love for the game I don't see how he wouldn't come back if he was healthy. With as much money as guys are making in the top 50 on the PGA and the top 10 on the senior tour he could make that 35 million easily and have a profession in the mean time.

Found it more interesting he still has a deal with Nike even though he hasn't played in 2 years.

Cash the check & then pull a Leon Sandcastle.

Full story worth reading

It's an interesting dilemma. He definitely could make more than that, but he could fail big time. You've got to be super confident to come back.

Retire with $10 mil untaxed plus all the money he's already made and he can likely play golf as much as he wants.

I really liked Kim, before it was known about his off course issues. That 2008 Ryder Cup was great. Tour would be better with him playing.

I was at the Ryder Cup when AK smoked Sergio to leadoff Sunday and was sitting right behind the green on #7 I think par 5 when they came through. AK is on the green in 2 and Sergio goes for it and hits it in the drink. He drops and goes for it again and splash into the drink again. Sergio then starts walking up to drop close the green AK is just waiting on him to give him the hole and when Sergio is about halfway there you hear AK scream "Are you giving me the ****ing hole or what?" Sergio gives him some sort of hand wave and said something. Then AK turns to the crowd with a scream of "YEAHHHH U-S-A U-S-A" and the crowd goes nuts and does the USA chant with him while Sergio puts his head down and goes to the next tee.

Also, after AK finished him off on like hole 13 he didn't realize he had won the match and he was running off to the next tee and they had to yell at him to come back and tell him he won. Dude was so charged up he didn't realize how bad he was smoking Sergio.

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Funny as hell, thanks for the story.

I remember Kim so focused he had not realized he had just won the match.

Hhahahahaha, love that story!

I dont blame the guy for a second. I would disappear forever if I was him.

that story is awesome...surely there is video of that online somewhere i'd hope

The one factor people aren't considering is his current net worth.

He's not a 29 year old with $300k in savings stressing about how he's going to build his wealth in order to retire one day.

He's 29 with likely somewhere around $8-10 million in assets already. He has the luxury of forgoing the insurance policy, failing miserably, and still being about to retire comfortably tomorrow.

Hell, he could probably come back and immediately sign a 4 year, $8 million contact with a sponsor (Nike, etc).

If he has any chance of being healthy, I expect him to return.

DRE06, I agree. I doubt it has anything at all to do with the insurance. He may be using it as cover.

Assuming the rumors about cocaine addiction are true it could be a number of things
He could be clean and scared. He could still be hooked. He could just be a natural introvert that was out of his element in the public eye and had to get ****ed up to handle it.

I can tell you this, if I was 29 years old sitting on 20-30 million in cash nobody would ever see me again.

Yeah, but if I was 29 years old with $10 million in assets, there's no way I wouldn't continue to pursue playing professional golf.

Not sure what I would do with my time otherwise. Probably do a bunch of coke in foreign cities.

That was an awesome article. I hope he tries to come back. I could understand why he wouldn't if he is going to get paid on the policy, but it seems like there will be no way to know he will get paid. It will take years to sort that out in the legal system.

I hope he does come back and rips it!

Assuming he's actually eligible for the insurance, I'd think a deal could be made. Either a "I'll take 50% if I'm allowed to attempt a comeback" or figure out a way to get the money and repay x% of earnings plus potential interest if he earns enough. Seems win-win.

Don't think insurance company would ever make 50% deal. First, bc it probably means he wants to play and if he does without a deal they won't have to pay anything. But more importantly, they don't want to set a precedent like that. Tons of players would start claiming career ending injuries and then claim they may be able to play so they should get 50%.

I don't see any upside to the insurance company to pay him anything.

Well, then they pay the $10+ mil.....

Agree on the precedent though.

how do you define the end of his career when he is 29? I assume it must have some sort of language about him not being able to play competitively for X number of years, but who knows. i would've thought that "career ending injury" would be defined as something that physically keeps him from swinging a golf club at all.

Old School Brother -- if it's like other disability policies, then the injury would only need to be one that prevents him from performing fully.

For example, if a dentist can't do certain procedures because of a hand injury, they'd likely be declared fully disabled for the purposes of their DI policy. With an injured golfer I think that would almost assuredly be the case. If a guy isn't 100% healthy, how can he be expected to compete with the best in the world? This policy -- assuming it pays out -- is performing the function it's supposed to.

if he wants to sit out and claim on the policy, he might want to have his friends stop making public comments like this:

"AK's not injured," says the friend. "He can play, he can walk. His swing looks good, the strike sounds solid, his ball flight is good. His physical health is not the issue."

Haha, yea that's exactly what I thought. Hearing his friends say stuff like this leads me to believe that he isn't just wanting to collect on the policy and never play again. If that was the case, it seems like he would tell every one of his friends to never speak about him playing or being healthy.

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Haha, yea that's exactly what I thought. Hearing his friends say stuff like this leads me to believe that he isn't just wanting to collect on the policy and never play again. If that was the case, it seems like he would tell every one of his friends to never speak about him playing or being healthy.

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He did tell his friends not to talk to anyone. Did you read the article? They're probably a bunch of typical Dallas brah'd out dooooochebags and can't help themselves, but clearly he's told them to stfu.

Yea I read it but have had a few drinks since then. Didn't remember the article saying he told all his friends to not say anything. In that case, he needs smarter friends.

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He did tell his friends not to talk to anyone. Did you read the article? They're probably a bunch of typical Dallas brah'd out dooooochebags and can't help themselves, but clearly he's told them to stfu.

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This is true. I've been around him a couple of times and he had the same hangers on around him each time. I can tell you this, all of them, including Kim, cold qualify for the biggest dbag in Dallas by themselves. As a group, it's like watching a ******** stampede

I am not a fan of the guy at all, and I can tell you that all of his problems rest in his head and nothing else (except for maybe his nose). Those of you who root for the guy would almost assuredly change course if you spent just 5 minutes around him.

Which bars does AK frequent in Dallas?

apparently, So & So's (old Primo's) on McKinney.

I've been there twice. Seems like a place for him for sure. Will keep an eye open upon my returns there.


(Not just for AK but also the talent that has been there. Good god. And I'm not talking about golf talent.)

I just read a great article in Sports Illustrated about this. Really sad if he's afraid to come back because his insurance policy is too big to risk.

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apparently, So & So's (old Primo's) on McKinney.

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SI said he hasn't been to any of his usual haunts since the spring.

They just did a segment on this on The Ticket. They basically just reported everything that was in the SI article. They were fascinated by it as well.