Richard T. Lee, Bjorn Hellgren, and Anthony Kim Earn Wild Cards for 2026 LIV Golf Season

Posted : 12 January 2026

Richard T. Lee of Canada, Bjorn Hellgren of Sweden, and former prodigy Anthony Kim claimed wild-card spots for the 2026 LIV Golf season after impressive performances at the LIV Golf Promotions event in Lecanto, Florida. Lee dominated the competition with a combined 11-under 129, following rounds of 64 and 65, to win by five shots over the rest of the field.

Hellgren produced the round of the day on Sunday, shooting 6-under 64 with eight birdies to finish second at 6 under, while Kim, returning after a 12-year hiatus from professional golf, secured third place at 5 under. Kim had previously been given a two-year wild card after rejoining LIV Golf in 2024, but his 2025 season had ended with relegation, forcing him to re-qualify through this event.

For Kim, the achievement was particularly significant. The 40-year-old Californian overcame years of retirement, rehab from drug and alcohol addiction, and serious health warnings from doctors. “Three years ago, doctors told me I potentially had two weeks to live. Just to be here standing is a blessing,” he said. Despite bogeying his final hole, he finished comfortably ahead of a four-way tie for fourth place.

Lee, a 35-year-old long-time Asian Tour competitor, was in top form throughout the week. He began with a 64 in the opening play-in round, completing the event with six birdies and just one bogey on the weekend. “The course layout fits my fade shots perfectly, and the greens helped me a lot. I felt very comfortable this week,” he said. Lee also became the first Canadian to join LIV Golf and suggested that more Canadian players should follow his lead.

Hellgren, also 35, has previous victories on the Asian Tour, Swedish Golf Tour, and Nordic Golf League. He finished strong by birdying four of his last six holes, including the par-3 17th and par-4 18th, to secure a top-three finish. “This shows that even if you’re not playing on the PGA Tour, hard work and a few good weeks can get you there,” he said.

The top ten players at LIV Golf Promotions, including those tied, also earned exemptions into the Asian Tour’s International Series events. Besides the top three, the other qualifiers were Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard, South Korea’s Jeunghun Wang, Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut, Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent, South Africa’s Oliver Bekker, Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, Japan’s Takanori Konishi, and Australians Matt Jones, Cory Crawford, and Christopher Wood.

Richard T. Lee, Bjorn Hellgren, and Anthony Kim Earn Wild Cards for 2026 LIV Golf Season

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics