Tom Kim’s Asian Games Gold Secures Military Exemption
South Korean golf star Tom Kim edged Japan’s K Higa and teammates to win the Asian Games men’s golf title with a sensational 18‑under‑par finish. The 24‑year‑old posted a brilliant 64 in the final round, clinching gold by three strokes despite a bogey on the 17th hole.
Kim’s triumph carries huge personal significance: every South Korean male who wins an Olympic or Asian Games medal receives a brief military‑service exemption, sidestepping the typical 18‑21 month duty that would have interrupted his career.
He arrived in Japan after a Presidents Cup appearance in the United States, fighting a 14‑hour jet lag and only six hours of sleep before stepping onto the Kasugai Country Club course. At 1.9 m and known for his powerful drives, Kim was already a top‑30 world player, with recent victories at the PGA Tour and the Scottish Open.
His compatriot, SH Kim, narrowly missed the exemption after South Korea took silver in the team event. Tom’s service‑free status today allows him to focus on upcoming tournaments, notably the Masters and The Open.
Asian Games rule‑makers note that a brief basic training course—lasting less than a month—is required, but the exemption’s impact on an athlete’s trajectory is profound. Other notable Korean athletes, such as former Tottenham Forward Son Heung‑min, have benefited similarly.
