Tom Kim won four PGA Tour eventsbut on Saturday he may have picked up the biggest win of his career.
With a career-changing military exemption on the line, Kim shot a six-under 64 in the final round of the men’s golf event at the 2026 Asian Games to win the individual gold medal for South Korea.
Thanks to the victory, Kim, who is 24 years old, will avoid an 18-21 month stretch in the South Korean army that is required of all able-bodied males in the country. Such a long layoff could have had devastating effects on the promising golfer’s career.
Unfortunately, a fellow PGA Tour pro playing on Kim’s South Korean team narrowly missed earning a similar exemption in the team event.
Tom Kim earns military exemption with gold, a fellow Tour pro just missing
After Tom Kim completed his 3 and 2 singles win over Wyndham Clark last Sunday at the 2026 Presidents Cup, he had a goal in mind: fly to Japan and do everything he can to win gold for himself and his country’s team at the 2026 Asian Games.
A gold medal at the Asian Games is one of the few ways South Korean males can avoid mandatory military service, which must be served between the ages of 18 and 35. An exemption also exists for South Koreans who win every medal in the Olympics, a feat Kim just missed by getting a T8 at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
For three rounds, Kim he was preparing for an important victorytaking a one-shot lead into the final round in the individual tournament. The South Korean team – consisting of Kim, fellow PGA Tour veteran SH Kim and Mun Do-yeob – also had a one-shot lead in the team event with 18 holes to play.
After his turn, Kim said Associated Press that he tried his best to keep the potential military exemption out of his mind during the final round.
“I tried not to think about it,” Kim said. “I tried to play (the) best for my country. It’s a big step. I think that the pressure I felt this week, I will be able to implement in my seasons to come.”
But Kim didn’t let the pressure get to him. He made four birdies on the front nine at Kasugai Country Club’s East Course, then added another birdie and an eagle on the back nine. The only lowlight was a late bogey at the par-4 17th hole, but Kim held on to finish at 18 under, good enough for a three-shot win over Japan’s Higa Kazuki, China’s Ding Wenyi and Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana. Kazuki took silver in the first playoff, then Kaewkanjana claimed bronze in the second.
“It’s a crazy feeling. I’m glad it’s over,” Kim said Reuters after his gold medal win. “This day was the longest day I think I’ve ever had in my life. It’s only been six, five hours, but it’s definitely the longest, and I’m glad it’s done.”
While Kim was happy to have won the exemption, he admitted that it was not the best of his victory in Japan.
“I’m more proud to be able to bring a medal for my country,” Kim he said AP.
Kim’s compatriot SH Kim was not so lucky. While South Korea opened the day leading the team event by one, SH Kim struggled in the final round, making three back-nine bogeys to shoot 73. South Korea’s third player, Mun Do-yeob, shot a 70.
With that, his team finished at 26 under, two shots behind China, who took the gold medal. A gold medal for South Korea in the team event would also have given SH Kim a military exemption. But the silver medal leaves him with few trips to avoid his own compulsory service.
