No joy for Kennedy as Lee, Hellgren and Kim win LIV Golf wildcards
Third place champion, Anthony Kim interviews following the final round of the LIV Golf Promotions at Black Diamond Ranch on Sunday, January 11, 2026 in Lecanto, Florida. (Photo by Mike Stobe/LIV Golf)
Max Kennedy’s LIV Golf dream evaporated with a closing 76 at LIV Golf Promotions in Florida.
The Royal Dublin man (24) went into the second round of the 36-hole playoff for three LIV Golf wildcards just three shots outside the top three.
At one under par, he was tied for sixth in the 22-man field and inside the top 10 who would be awarded exemptions for the Asian Tour’s International Series.
But his hopes of winning a lucrative spot in the LIV Golf League were dashed early when he made a triple-bogey seven at the third at Black Diamond Ranch, then bogeyed the fifth and eighth to slip near the back of the field on four over.
While he birdied the par-five ninth to turn in 39, he dropped shots at the 10th and 11th to kiss goodbye to his chances of salvaging a top 10 finish and International Series status.
In the end, the HotelPlanner Tour regular, who made just two bogeys over the first three days, bogeyed the 15th but birdied the par five 16th to shoot a six-over 76 and finish 21st ($17,500) in the 22-man field on five over.
At the business end of affairs, Canada’s Richard T. Lee, Sweden’s Bjorn Hellgren and American veteran Anthony Kim claimed the three wildcards.
Lee added a 65 to his Saturday 64 to win the top wild-card on 11 under par, five strokes clear of Hellgren, who birdied four of his last six holes for a best of the day 64.
Former US Ryder Cup player Kim (40), who returned from 13 years out of the game to play as a LIV Golf wildcard last season before being relegated, shot 69 to win the third wildcard on five under.
“Yeah, it feels great,” Kim said. “I'm not here to prove everybody wrong. I'm here to prove myself right.
“I've worked so hard, and this little girl right here is one of the reasons why. Obviously, my wife has been so supportive."
He had to make an eight-footer on the last in Friday’s round to qualify for the 36-hole playoff on the mark, and believes winning back his LIV Golf credentials will give him confidence for the 2026 season.
“Yeah, a lot of confidence because I definitely didn't have it today,” he added. “I didn't feel great with my swing. I putted okay, but didn't make a ton.
“I feel like my game is trending in the right direction, that my bad rounds, I can still hang in there and be around par.
‘This is just the first step, but I'm glad I earned my spot so everybody could quit talking s**t, and I'll be back soo,n and I'll be winning golf tournaments soon.”
Lucas Bjerregaard, Jeunghun Wang, Sarit Suwannarut, Kieran Vincent (three-under); Oliver Bekker, Jazz Janewattananond, Takanori Konishi, Matt Jones, Cory Crawford and Christopher Wood (two-under) completed the top 10 and ties who won International Series exemptions.
