Asian Games – final round
-18 T Kim (Kor); -15 K Higa (Jpn), W Ding (Chi), S Kaewkanjana (Tha); -11 W‑H Wang (Tpe)
Tom Kim won gold at the Asian Games, securing an exemption from mandatory service in South Korea's military.
The 24‑year‑old led into the final round and produced a brilliant six‑under‑par 64 to finish 18 under, winning by three strokes. He bowed out with a bogey on the 17th but had a margin that allowed a final par on the last hole. His calm finish was marked by a roar of relief as he dipped the ball in.
In South Korea, able‑bodied men usually must serve 18‑to‑21 months of mandatory military service before age 28. However, Asian Games gold medallists are exempt from full duty, requiring only a brief basic training period, less than a month.
Previous exemptions have included Tottenham forward Son Heung‑min, who served for three weeks after winning the Asian Games two years earlier. Kim’s win also eliminates the risk of a 14‑hour jet lag that could have thrown his Japanese round off schedule after the Presidents Cup in the United States.
With four PGA Tour titles already on his résumé and a recent Scottish Open victory, Kim can now continue his career with minimal disruption. He had a near miss at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he tied third on day one but finished eighth overall.
Meanwhile, South Korea’s fellow golfer SH Kim, aged 28, missed out on an exemption after the team event ended in a silver medal. Mun Do‑yeob, another compatriot, has already completed his military service.
