WATCH: Anthony Kim hits nightmare shank on LIV return

After all the fanfare that surrounded his return to professional golf and the talk of “I’m here to bust everyone’s ass”, it didn’t take long for the Anthony Kim rollercoaster to fire out the gates as he began his first competitive round since 2012.

While his opening drive on the par-5 18th at Royal Greens got away with minimal fuss, the cameras returned moments later for his second from a downhill lie in the rough to the right-hand side of the fairway.

“Let’s see how Anthony Kim’s golfing brain is working,” commentator Arlo White whispered into his microphone. “There is no chance he can go for this pin.”

But just as White was explaining what Kim might be looking to do instead, the American pulled the trigger.

Then, gasps from the punditry team as the ball exited stage right at bullet-like pace.

“Did he shank that?” White explained.

“Yeah, he did,” sighed co-commentator David Feherty, before inexplicably blaming himself for jinxing Kim ahead of the shot.

Anyway, you’re here to see it in all it’s glory, so let’s do just that…

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Anthony Kim shank

“Let’s see how Anthony Kim’s golfing brain is working.”

*shAnK* pic.twitter.com/LjllJIco2e

— Kwack (@kwack_golf) March 1, 2024

Ouch!

We all do it, though, don’t we? At least we have the decency to get our excuses in before we’ve even teed off. “I haven’t played for a few months so I’ll be a bit rusty.”

Try a few years in AK’s case.

• McEwan: Anthony Kim was never a golf great – so what gives?

• Anthony Kim: Twitter reacts to LIV Golf comeback

But don’t worry, Anthony, because your boss has got your back.

Greg Norman later joined the broadcast and, when asked about the shank, said Kim was distracted by a drone flying overhead. “He’s not used to it,” the Australian said. “It’s a different energy out here.”

With music blaring out on every hole, we find that one particularly hard to believe. And it’s as if Norman has never heard of Kim before.

It’s a shank. It happens. Own it. Laugh it off.