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.”
🚨🪖🥇#BREAKING — Tom Kim fired a final round 64 (-6) to win the Asian Games individual gold medal by 3 strokes, earning himself an exemption from mandatory 18-24 month military service.
A life changer for the 24-year-old from Seoul, South Korea. pic.twitter.com/Gq3MrcsQnP
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) October 3, 2026
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.
🚨📱🐅 #NEW — Tom Kim reveals the text message he received from Tiger Woods just hours before he won gold in Japan: “Just be you. Nothing more, nothing less”, Tiger wrote. The victory means no military for Kim. @TWlegion
(Via: @YonhapNews) pic.twitter.com/jAJSytkABf https://t.co/JwPMF03jjx
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) October 3, 2026
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.
–Field Level Media
