Tom Kim takes gold in Asian Games, earns full military exemption

Tom Kim claimed the gold medal in the individual stroke-play event at the Asian Games in Japan on Saturday, a victory that also gives the South Korean a full exemption from the country’s mandatory military service requirement. Kim shot a 64 to win the Asian Games and the 24-year-old from Seoul admitted he entered the final round feeling every type of pressure to deliver. “I just tried to play the best for my country. Selfishly — I didn’t really think about myself,” Kim said. “I just thought I want to win a medal for my country.” Kim was 18-under for the tournament. He said he “tried not to thinking about” the mandatory service in South Korea’s military. Able-bodied men in the country are required a minimum 18-month stint in the military, which would have taken Kim out of PGA Tour action at a key time in his career. Kim played for the international team in the Presidents Cup in Chicago last week and won his individual match-play event over Wyndham Clark on Sunday. Kim then flew to Japan to compete in the Asian Games. He entered the final round with a one-shot lead over Wei-hsuan Wang and Kazuki Higa, who were both 11-under entering play on Saturday. Kim also won the 2026 Genesis Scottish Open. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kim narrowly missed a chance to secure a military exemption by medaling in the Games. He ended the tournament tied for eighth. Fellow Korean Seong-hyeon Kim, 28, fell short of the same goal. A team gold would have granted him the military exemption, but South Korea won silver, finishing two shots behind China.