South Korean golfer Tom Kim won the men’s individual gold medal at the Asian Games, held in Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday, October 3.
This also earns him an exemption from mandatory military service in his home country.
The 24-year-old shot a final-round 6-under 64 at Kasugai Country Club to finish at 18-under 262, three strokes ahead of Japan’s Kazuki Higa, China’s Ding Wenyi, and Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana.
Higa earned silver, while Kaewkanjana secured bronze.
The victory also holds immense significance for Kim. Most able-bodied South Korean men must serve around 18 months in the military, but Asian Games gold medalists and Olympic medalists of any colour are exempt.
Kim flew directly from the Presidents Cup in Chicago to Japan to compete, acknowledging the pressure he faced.
Kim said: “I’m more proud that I’m able to bring a medal for my country. The pressure that I felt this week, I’ll be able to implement it in my upcoming seasons.”
Kim’s teammates, S.H. Kim, didn’t earn an exemption as South Korea failed to win the team event, with China securing first place. Mun Do-yeob, the third team member, had already completed his service.
Kim, a four-time PGA Tour winner, expressed relief after the win. He said: “This was the longest day I think I’ve ever had in my life. I’m just glad it’s done.”
2026-10-03 17:54:00
