LIV Golf's Anthony Kim has jumped up more than 2,200 spots in the Official World Golf Rankings after finishing T37th at the Asian Tour's International Series Qatar.
The American - who was one of 18 LIV players competing in this week's penultimate International Series tournament - opened up with a one-under-par 71 on Wednesday before backing that up with a level-par score on Thursday.
And after making a cut for the first time in 12 years by two strokes, Kim confidently predicted it would only be "a matter of time" until he is contending for titles once again.
Speaking to Gulf News, Kim said: "I know a lot of people have probably seen my last year and don't think that's possible [contending on Sundays], but I think it’s going to happen. I 100% believe in myself, and I think it's just a matter of time.
“Obviously, the results aren't what I wanted so far, but I think I am ahead of schedule."
And that could well be true as Kim responded to a one-over 73 in round three with another 71 on Saturday to end alongside fellow LIV golfers, Jinichiro Kozuma and Matt Jones and collect a little more than $14,500 in prize money.
Plus - crucially for Kim - for the first time since the 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational, he also scooped OWGR points. LIV events do not offer OWGR points after the 54-hole league withdrew its application for OWGR accreditation back in March.
Although the 0.36805 points Kim bagged on the Asian Tour appear insignificant, they moved him up from 4,595th to 2,314 - a grand total of 2,281 places.
In context for the enigmatic former PGA Tour player, a T37th result was made even more impressive when it is considered that this was Kim's first competitive appearance since the season-ending LIV Golf Individual Championship in Chicago between September 13-15.
He finished the campaign without picking up a single point in 11 events as a LIV Golf League wildcard, but Kim did manage to bank almost $1 million due to the PIF-backed circuit's desire to offer guaranteed prize money.
Although there was no top-24 finish for the Californian in LIV and he missed the cut by eight shots at the Asian Tour's International Series Macau back in March, the 39-year-old's results did steadily improve as the year wore on.
Kim managed to record a season-best finish of 36th at LIV Golf Greenbrier in August and has now backed that up with an encouraging result in the 144-player field.
His next start will arrive at the Asian Tour's season-ending PIF Saudi International (December 4-7) as one of 44 LIV golfers in the 120-man field at Riyadh Golf Club.
Players will be competing for the lion's share of a $5 million prize purse in Saudi Arabia, with many hoping to do well as they aim to top the International Series Rankings - a position that, if not held by an already-exempt player, will offer a full-time spot in the LIV Golf League next term.
As it stands, the RangeGoats' Peter Uihlein leads the way after he won the International Series Qatar. If the American holds on, he would deny the Asian Tour's 2024 Order of Merit champion, John Catlin - who has been out in front for much of the campaign after two International Series triumphs so far.
