Tom Kim Wins Asian Games Gold, Secures Military Exemption — SkimNews
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- Tom Kim shot a final-round 64 to finish at 18 under, winning by three strokes over K Higa of Japan, W Ding of China, and S Kaewkanjana of Thailand (all at 15 under), with W-H Wang of Chinese Taipei fourth at 11 under.
- South Korea's military service rules require men to serve 18-21 months before age 28, but Asian Games gold medalists receive an exemption that requires only basic training of less than a month.
- Kim rushed from the Presidents Cup in the US to Kasugai Country Club in Japan on just six hours of sleep across a 14-hour time difference.
- Kim, already the world number 32 with four PGA Tour titles and a Scottish Open win in July, had previously come close at the 2024 Paris Olympics, sitting tied for third after day one before slipping to eighth.
- SH Kim, aged 28, missed the exemption when South Korea settled for silver in the team event alongside Mun Do-yeob, who had already completed his military service.
Why it matters: The exemption locks in Tom Kim's PGA Tour trajectory without the 18-21 month career rupture that ends most Korean athletes' professional runs — footballer Son Heung-min earned the same perk after the 2018 Games. The flip side is teammate SH Kim, who turned 28 without it, underscoring how razor-thin the window is for Korean stars who fail to deliver gold in time.
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