Tom Kim Wins Asian Games Gold to Secure Military Service Exemption

South Korean golfer Tom Kim secured an exemption from mandatory military service by winning the individual gold medal at the Asian Games in Japan on Saturday, finishing 18 under par after a final-round six-under-par 64 at Kasugai Country Club.

The 24-year-old arrived at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on extreme fatigue, having flown directly to Japan from Medinah Country Club in the United States after playing five matches for the International team at the Presidents Cup. Kim managed just six hours of sleep across a 48-hour window and navigated a 14-hour time difference before opening his tournament play with a three-under-par 67. Playing in the final men’s group alongside defending gold medallist Taichi Kho from Hong Kong and Japan’s Keita Nakajima on Thursday, Kim endured a marathon second round that stretched across five hours and 20 minutes. Because play slowed due to soft fairways requiring players to lift and clean balls, temporary floodlights were brought in alongside the final green so the trio could finish putting in the dark, leading to a four-under 66 that placed him tied for fifth.

Able-bodied South Korean males are required to complete between 18 and 21 months of active-duty military service before turning 28. Under national law, the government grants exemptions from full conscription to athletes who win medals at the Olympic Games or gold medals at the Asian Games, requiring only basic military training that lasts less than a month according to government rules.

Tiger Woods Text Message and Final-Round Charge at Kasugai Country Club

Entering Saturday’s final round with a one-stroke lead, Kim woke up to a brief text message from 15-time major champion Tiger Woods that read simply, Just be you. Nothing more, nothing less.

“Just be you. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Tiger Woods, via Golfmagic

The advice propelled Kim through a dominant closing 18 holes on the East Course in Kasugai. He opened the day with four birdies on the front nine and added an eagle at the par-5 13th hole to build a four-shot cushion. Despite a lone bogey on the 17th hole, Kim tapped in for par on the final green to seal a three-stroke victory over runner-up Kazuki Higa of Japan, Wenyi Ding of China, and Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand at 18-under-par 262.

Weighing the Stakes of Conscription for Professional Golfers

Conscription has historically disrupted the peak competitive years of several prominent South Korean golf professionals. Bae Sang-moon was forced to leave the PGA Tour in 2015 at the height of his career to fulfill a two-year military obligation, a stint that saw his world ranking plummet to 1,869th upon his discharge and ultimately cost him his tour card as reported by Yardbarker.

Kim, who has already secured four PGA Tour titles and a victory at the Scottish Open, avoided that trajectory. Two years prior to his gold-medal run, Kim finished eighth at the 2024 Paris Olympics just four shots off the podium.

Team Silver for South Korea and Final Standings

While Kim claimed individual gold, South Korea missed out on the top spot in the team competition. The team standings combined the two lowest scores out of three players for each country across four rounds. South Korea finished at 26-under par, taking the silver medal behind China according to the Korea Herald. The team silver and individual gold represent the 40th and 41st medals won by South Korean golfers since the sport was introduced to the Asian Games in 1982.

Teammate SH Kim finished at 2-under par in a tie for 14th place, missing out on an individual medal and failing to secure a military exemption reported Golf Channel, leaving him facing mandatory active-duty service. Fellow teammate Mun Do-yeob had already completed his service prior to the event.

More on this story: Kim Jong Ho Wins First Men’s Recurve Gold for South Korea at Asian Games · South Korea faces growing scrutiny over military exemptions for Asian Games · An Se-young wins back-to-back Asian Games women’s singles gold medals