Tom Kim won the golf gold medal at the Asian Games, earning a special exemption from South Korea’s mandatory 18‑ to 21‑month military service. The 24‑year‑old entered the final round 18 under, and a flawless six‑under‑par 64 finished the tournament 18 strokes ahead of the nearest rival.
Despite a nervous bogey on the 17th, Kim’s string of five birdies and an eagle provided a comfortable buffer, allowing him to settle with a par putt on the last hole. His roar of relief after the finish underscored the emotional weight of the win.
South Korean men normally must serve between 18 and 21 months in the armed forces before age 28. However, the government grants a short basic‑training exemption—lasting less than a month—to Asian Games champions and Olympic medalists of any colour.
Kim, who triumphed at the Scottish Open in July, will now be free to focus on his PGA Tour schedule, with past successes including four tour titles. The exemption follows a near‑miss at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he finished eighth. His teammate SH Kim missed out on the exemption after South Korea secured only silver in the team event.
