The 40-year-old golfer stunned the sports world on Sunday by winning LIV Golf Adelaide and taking home a whopping $4 million prize. But here’s the jaw-dropping twist: just a few years ago, Kim was sitting on a disability insurance policy worth somewhere in the high teens of millions – tax-free – that he walked away from to return to the game he loves.
Talk about a gamble.
“For years, the math was simple,” says one source familiar with Kim’s situation. “He was more injured than playing.” After a series of devastating injuries to his wrists, elbows, and Achilles starting in 2012, Kim’s career earnings plummeted from over $1 million annually to just $34,000. His insurance policy promised a massive payout- but only if he stayed off the course permanently.
The catch? The moment he competed again, that guaranteed fortune disappeared.
So when Kim signed with LIV Golf in 2024, the league reportedly structured a signing bonus between $5-10 million specifically to cushion the blow of losing his insurance policy. It was essentially a financial safety net that let him chase his comeback dream without going broke trying.
And boy, is it working out.
With his Adelaide victory, Kim’s total career earnings have soared to approximately $19.1 million – and climbing. That includes $12.2 million from his early PGA Tour glory days (2006-2012), plus nearly $7 million since his LIV Golf return.
“He’s proving that betting on yourself can actually pay off,” notes one golf insider.
The former world No. 6 closed Sunday’s round with a blistering 9-under-63, looking every bit like the electrifying talent who once dominated the sport. At 40, Kim isn’t just winning again – he’s building a second fortune that could rival his first.
Not bad for someone who spent 12 years in what one publication called “the strangest financial limbo in sports history.” Sometimes the biggest risks lead to the sweetest rewards.
