Where's Anthony Kim? What ever happened to Anthony Kim?

[Abu3baid]

Yeah.. why would he ever want to work for that kind of money again...

Although, is the insurance company really going to allow this to happen?  I mean, couldn't they force him to get a document that says he can no longer physically play golf again or xxxx might happen?

Something sounds strange about this.. it is almost like AK is admitting that he is defrauding the insurance company, and there isn't anything anyone that can do anything about it.

Oh well, good for him!

http://http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/golf-devil-ball-golf/former-tour-star-anthony-kim-making--10-million-by-not-playing-golf-225933410.html

[David in FL]

Yeah.. why would he ever want to work for that kind of money again... Although, is the insurance company really going to allow this to happen?  I mean, couldn't they force him to get a document that says he can no longer physically play golf again or xxxx might happen? Something sounds strange about this.. it is almost like AK is admitting that he is defrauding the insurance company, and there isn't anything anyone that can do anything about it. Oh well, good for him! [URL=http://http//sports.yahoo.com/blogs/golf-devil-ball-golf/former-tour-star-anthony-kim-making--10-million-by-not-playing-golf-225933410.html]http://http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/golf-devil-ball-golf/former-tour-star-anthony-kim-making--10-million-by-not-playing-golf-225933410.html[/URL]

Because he could make 10 or 20 times that in a successful career......

[jamo]

Because he could make 10 or 20 times that in a successful career......

That's what makes it such an interesting conundrum. On one hand, he could certainly make many times more than $10 million with a successful career. Jim Furyk, for instance, has made something like $14 million just since he last won in 2010. That's without winning . On the other hand, there's absolutely no guarantee that he'd be able to get back to that level, or even close to it. If he never plays again he gives up sponsorship opportunities. He's also 29 and, as far as I can tell, doesn't really have any other marketable skills. $10 million is a lot to live off for the rest of your life, but not so much when you've already made $14 million (plus whatever Nike paid him).

[Abu3baid]

Because he could make 10 or 20 times that in a successful career......

I think that is a bit of an exaggeration.. but maybe 1X or 2X that.. over like 10 years maybe.

That's what makes it such an interesting conundrum.

On one hand, he could certainly make many times more than $10 million with a successful career. Jim Furyk, for instance, has made something like $14 million just since he last won in 2010. That's without winning.

On the other hand, there's absolutely no guarantee that he'd be able to get back to that level, or even close to it.

If he never plays again he gives up sponsorship opportunities. He's also 29 and, as far as I can tell, doesn't really have any other marketable skills. $10 million is a lot to live off for the rest of your life, but not so much when you've already made $14 million (plus whatever Nike paid him).

The article says 10M tax free..  so with at least a 40% tax bracket he would need to make almost double that playing to make that kind of money..

You hit the nail on the head though.. how could he ever be certain?

[RJH999]

That's what makes it such an interesting conundrum. On one hand, he could certainly make many times more than $10 million with a successful career. Jim Furyk, for instance, has made something like $14 million just since he last won in 2010. That's without winning . On the other hand, there's absolutely no guarantee that he'd be able to get back to that level, or even close to it. If he never plays again he gives up sponsorship opportunities. He's also 29 and, as far as I can tell, doesn't really have any other marketable skills. $10 million is a lot to live off for the rest of your life, but not so much when you've already made $14 million (plus whatever Nike paid him).

I dunno, He really had that Rickie Fowler thing going on for a while. He has a confident, electric, anti-country club personality. I don't think it would be hard at all for him to rise back up(marketability wise).

[billchao]

Something sounds strange about this.. it is almost like AK is admitting that he is defrauding the insurance company, and there isn't anything anyone that can do anything about it.

Sure there is. Insurance fraud is a crime. Assuming the insurance company pays the money, if they can somehow prove he is committing fraud, AK will go to jail.

Sounds to me like he's taking a slacker approach to life. Sure, he can work hard and try to make the tour again, or he can try to cheat the system. If that's what he is doing, then I have no respect for him. What a waste of talent that would be. But to give him the benefit of the doubt, maybe he is making a rational decision and weighing his options. I still think he has the potential to make a lot more money if he returned to the tour.

Everything I've ever read about AK and his behavior suggests to me it's closer to the former than the latter. The guy just doesn't seem very motivated.

[jamo]

I dunno, He really had that Rickie Fowler thing going on for a while. He has a confident, electric, anti-country club personality. I don't think it would be hard at all for him to rise back up(marketability wise).

I don't think any of that matters much if he's not playing golf well.

[David in FL]

I think that is a bit of an exaggeration.. but maybe 1X or 2X that.. over like 10 years maybe.

Billy Horschel made that this year....without endorsements. I don't think that $100M ++ is out of line at all.

[RJH999]

I don't think any of that matters much if he's not playing golf well.

True. He needs to start actually PLAYING, then that will all come to him.

[OldTom]

Any truth to the rumor that Kim isn't allowed to come back because he wouldn't go into Re-hab after failed drug tests?

Dustin will be back because he agreed to re-hab.

[jamo]

Any truth to the rumor that Kim isn't allowed to come back because he wouldn't go into Re-hab after failed drug tests? Dustin will be back because he agreed to re-hab.

Not as far as I know. He has a major medical exemption that allows him to play 16 events. If he can make $613,550 in that time, he'd earn his Tour card.

[iacas]

The real question is… would he miss the birth of his kids for an $18M disability settlement? :)

BTW, if the settlement stuff is real, and he's not "disabled," and that's all true, I'm with the poster above: that's fraud, and I lose a lot of (all?) respect for AK.

[Silent]

Have to say I find the story of this 'friend' very hard to believe. Seems more like some kind of gossip story. I can't believe a high profile player will walk away voluntarely from the game for $ 10 million, an amount that this kind of player will easiliy gain with sponsonship and prize money combined in his career. Unless he really, really hates the world of professional sport...

[inthehole]

. The guy just doesn't seem very motivated.

Honestly, if I made $9 or 10M in earnings in my 20's, I probably wouldn't be all that motivated to get up at 6 AM every morning and hit the range.     I'd be very careful with it and live the good life ... hopefully, thats what he's doing and not partying it away ...

[RH31]

His insurance policy might specify being healthy enough to play PGA Tour golf. Big difference between slapping it around for 9 holes

with your buds and being healthy enough to compete on the tour.

[dsc123]

His insurance policy might specify being healthy enough to play PGA Tour golf. Big difference between slapping it around for 9 holes

with your buds and being healthy enough to compete on the tour.

I'm no expert, but the disability policies I've seen were based on income--you get paid if you have a injury that reduces your income by 40%.  So you can still be able to work, but maybe your injury means you can't work as many hours or you're just not as good as you were.  In this context, it could be that he just can't practice enough (without getting hurt) to succeed on tour.  Not sure what they do with professional athletes.

But I wouldn't be so quick to suspect fraud without knowing more.  It wouldn't be easy for a guy like AK to get away with a 10-20M insurance fraud anyway.  Its not the sort of run of the mill case the company would pay out without investigating and fighting if there was a chance it was fraudulent.

[newtogolf]

If he loves playing professional golf he'll be back.  If he played professional golf for the money, he'll be collecting the insurance policy and we'll never see him again.

[BerkeleyRehab]

What a tough spot.  If he doesn't play, he will be known as a sell-out.  If he does compete and fails, he loses a fortune and financial security.  Plus, the added pressure of scrutiny.

Bottom line - too much fame and fortune at a young age.