He was previously touted as a potential heir to Tiger Woods, and was the youngest member of the US’ 2008 Ryder Cup team at just 23.
During his time away, Kim achieved almost mythical status, as fans wondered if they would ever see him play again.
This weekend he is set to compete in LIV Golf in Jeddah.
Kim won three events by the age of 25 and had earned a place in the world’s top ten, peaking at No6 in September 2008.
He finished third at the Masters in 2010, but then came a dip in form that became a gradual decline.
Ahead of his disappearance from the PGA Tour in 2012, Kim had endured four withdrawals and five missed cuts from his last 10 events.
In a rare interview in 2015, he told the Associated Press: “Golf is a fond memory of mine.
“I’m going to step away from the game for a little while and get my body pieced together.