Imagine your career hanging by a thread, one putt away from oblivion. That's the pressure cooker these golfers faced at LIV Golf Promotions! Canada's Richard T. Lee dominated, but veterans like Anthony Kim battled tooth and nail for a coveted spot in the 2026 LIV Golf season. Let's dive into the drama.
Richard T. Lee, representing Canada, blazed through the first three days of the LIV Golf Promotions event (you can check out the details here: https://www.livgolf.com/schedule/promotions-event-2026/index). His stellar performance put him in a prime position – the driver's seat, if you will – to snag a wild-card entry into the prestigious 2026 LIV Golf season. This is huge; it's not just about playing, it's about securing a future in one of golf's most talked-about leagues.
Meanwhile, Anthony Kim (whose player profile is here: https://www.livgolf.com/players/anthony-kim/), a name that resonates with golf fans worldwide, ignited his game on the back nine at Black Diamond Ranch. This surge significantly improved his chances of reclaiming a full-time spot in the League. Kim's journey back to competitive golf after a 12-year hiatus has been nothing short of remarkable, and this event was crucial for solidifying his comeback. Think of it like a Hollywood script – a star returns, faces adversity, and fights for redemption.
RELATED: Stay updated with the Leaderboard (https://www.livgolf.com/schedule/promotions-event-2026/leaderboard)
The final 18 holes of the intense 36-hole shootout at Black Diamond Ranch were held on Sunday. The stakes? Immense. The top three finishers were rewarded with something potentially career-altering: guaranteed LIV Golf wild-card status for 2026. But the benefits didn't stop there. The top 10 finishers (and ties) also earned exemptions into the Asian Tour’s International Series, providing a pathway to further opportunities and exposure. It's a win-win situation for these players, offering both immediate rewards and long-term career prospects.
For the second time that week, Lee topped the leaderboard with a bogey-free 6-under 64. The 35-year-old carried a two-shot lead over his closest competitors into Sunday, giving him a tangible advantage in his quest to finish in the top three. But complacency wasn't in his vocabulary. He planned to maintain his aggressive approach, refusing to ease up despite his lead.
“Honestly, I don’t think it would be comfortable for any player to have a two-shot lead on the last day,” Lee confessed, highlighting the immense pressure even with a lead. He also noted his impressive performance throughout the week, including two eagles, 13 birdies, and only one bogey in his 54 competitive holes. “I’ll just put my hat on and just play my golf.”
Kim found himself among three players tied for second, each carding a bogey-free 4-under 66. He was joined by South Africa’s Oliver Bekker and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond. Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard held solo fifth after a 3-under 67, while five other players were lurking just behind at 1 under. The leaderboard was tight, indicating a fierce battle for those coveted wild-card spots.
Kim, who had played as a LIV Golf wild card for the past two seasons, started slowly on Saturday, sitting at just 1 under through 12 holes. But here's where it gets controversial... Some argued he benefited from a more lenient schedule and less intense competition as a wild card. Regardless, he turned things around dramatically, sinking consecutive lengthy birdie putts at the 13th and 14th holes, birdying the par-5 16th, and saving par with a clutch 15-footer at the par-4 18th. His resilience and ability to perform under pressure were on full display.
“I have an opportunity to get one of those spots,” Kim stated, emphasizing the significance of the moment. “That’s what I asked for coming into this week and put myself in good position. Now I’ve just got to go finish.”
Kim wouldn't have even been in contention had he not sunk an 8-foot birdie putt on the 18th on Friday to make the cut right on the number. He carried that momentum into Saturday's back nine. This illustrates the fine margins in professional golf, where a single putt can make or break a season.
“I knew that if I didn’t make birdie on 18 [Friday] that my chances of playing on LIV next year were gone, and to me that’s a big deal,” Kim explained, revealing the high stakes he faced. “I’d like to play at the highest level against the best players. It meant a lot to me.”
Bekker, a familiar face from LIV Golf's inaugural event in London in 2022, expressed his excitement about the potential to return to the league as a full-time member. He alluded to perhaps playing it safe initially, but now sees this as a second chance. "Thinking back on it now, I had the opportunity to play a few more events, and now I’m like, well, maybe I should have played them," Bekker said. "The water was a bit rough at that stage and didn’t know what was going to happen, so I played it a bit safe. Luckily, I’ve been given another opportunity this week, and hopefully I can take it.”
Janewattananond, a former top-50 world player who won four tournaments in 2019, still has plenty of years left in his competitive career at age 30. He emphasized the importance of the opportunity, highlighting the security it would provide for his family. After a second-round 67, he shot a 66 that included four birdies in a six-hole stretch to end his front nine. “It’s a very big prize at the end of the day,” Janewattananond said. “Those three spots up for grabs, it would give me freedom to play wherever I want and security for my family.”
The 34-year-old Bjerregaard, a two-time winner on the DP World Tour, saw full-time LIV Golf status as a potential career-changer, even hinting at retirement if he didn't secure a spot. “Where I am in my career right now,” he said, “it’s probably that or retirement. Yeah, that would mean a lot for sure.”
Although nothing was guaranteed, Lee’s strong performance led some to believe that only two spots remained available for the rest of the field. This put even more pressure on the other contenders.
“We’re not playing for one spot,” Janewattananond said, acknowledging Lee’s dominance. “I don’t have to worry about him. I just have to worry about myself.”
“He played great today,” added Bjerregaard, who played in the same group as Lee. “But I would be happy with any of the other two spots, so that’s fine. I can finish third. I wouldn’t mind.”
LEADERBOARD
The leaderboard after Saturday’s first 18 holes:
Richard T. Lee, Canada – 64
Oliver Bekker, South Africa – 66
Jazz Janewattananond, Thailand – 66
Anthony Kim, USA – 66
Lucas Bjerregaard, Denmark – 67
Max Kennedy, Ireland – 69
Takanori Konishi, Japan – 69
Joe Pagdin, England – 69
Sarit Suwannarut, Thailand – 69
Jeunghun Wang, South Korea – 69
Bjorn Hellegren, Sweden – 70
Matt Jones, Australia – 70
Julian Perico, Peru – 70
Kieran Vincent, Zimbabwe – 70
Rattanon Wannasrichan, Thailand - 70
Cory Crawford, Australia – 71
Travis Smyth, Australia – 71
Christopher Wood, Australia – 71
Jose Islas, Mexico – 72
Miguel Tabuena, Philippines - 72
Sadom Kaewkanjana, Thailand – 73
Danthai Boonma, Thailand – 76
ROUND 3 NOTES
AK’S LAST PUTT: Anthony Kim’s par-saving putt on the final hole was a nail-biter, circling the lip before finally dropping. The crowd went wild!
“Nice to see it actually go in as opposed to go out,” Kim said. “But that’s just the way the game goes. Sometimes you have six months where balls are lipping out, and you have six months where the balls are lipping in.
“Hopefully I’ve had enough lip outs now where they’ll start falling my way, and I believe that’s going to happen.”
LEE’S RARE WAYWARD SHOT: Richard T. Lee's almost flawless performance made his one miscue – a tee shot at the par-5 16th – stand out. He managed to recover and save par.
“Tried to ride the wind,” Lee said. “It was a slice wind. I was trying to hit a low stinger 3-wood and kind of duffed it and it almost went OB, but luckily it didn’t.”
Overall, he felt comfortable on the course. “I love challenging courses,” he said. “Most of the holes here fit my ball flight.”
BEKKER RECEIVES ENCOURAGEMENT: Oliver Bekker received encouraging messages from fellow South African and Stinger GC Captain Louis Oosthuizen (https://www.livgolf.com/players/louis-oosthuizen/).
“It’s nice to get a bit of good vibes,” Bekker said. “Looking forward to hopefully playing [against] them next year.” He also mentioned his connection to the South African golf community, including Dean Burmester (https://www.livgolf.com/players/dean-burmester/).
TOUGH STRETCH FOR VINCENT: Kieran Vincent, the only player with previous LIV Golf Promotions success, struggled on the back nine, carding a double bogey and two bogeys. He was among the three players who earned full-time spots at the 2023 LIV Golf Promotions tournament.
SUNDAY’S START TIME: Round 4 started at 8:40 a.m. ET, with the final group (Lee, Kim, and Janewattananond) teeing off at 9:57 a.m.
BROADCAST INFO
In the U.S., FOX Sports channels broadcasted the final round (ET).
Round 4: FS1, 10 am-3 pm
The live stream was also available on LIVGolf.com and the LIV Golf app.
ROUND 3 STATS LEADERS
Driving distance – Danthai Boonma, 297.0-yard average
Longest drive – Danthai Boonma, 319.0 yards (3rd hole)
Driving accuracy – Bjorn Hellgren, 92.86% (13 of 14)
Greens in regulation – Richard T. Lee, 94.44% (17 of 18)
Scrambling – Oliver Bekker (5 of 5), Anthony Kim (5 of 5), Richard T. Lee (1 of 1), 100%
Fewest putts – Jeunghun Wang, 25
Bogey-free rounds – Richard T. Lee (64), Anthony Kim (66)
So, what do you think? Did Anthony Kim deserve another shot at LIV Golf, or should the opportunity have gone to someone else? And how much does past performance weigh when considering a player's future potential? Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!
