Tom Kim secured a victory that looms a little larger than most at the Asian Games on Saturday. Not only will Kim add another piece of hardware to his growing collection, but he has also earned himself an exemption from South Korea’s mandatory military service.
Kim fired off a final round 64 at Kasugai Country Club in Nagoya, Japan today to finish 3 shots ahead of the pack. Kim, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, is no stranger to hoisting trophies, but this win might mean just a little bit more given the implications.
Tom Kim Delivers With Military Exemption at Stake
Professional golf is often known as a mental battle, even on its low-stakes days. For Kim to deliver with something like military service on the line is truly impressive. The young golfer entered Saturday with a one-shot lead and started red hot, making 4 birdies through his first 9 holes. On hole 13, he separated himself from the pack with an eagle, giving himself a 4-shot lead at the time. He held on from there to take the gold medal by 3 shots over the field, securing a military exemption.
While Kim held his cool on the golf course, he likely felt the pressure on the day. In a report from Reuters, Kim was quoted saying, “This day was the longest day I think I’ve ever had in my life. It’s only been six, five hours but it is definitely the longest, and I’m just glad it’s done.” Kim can breathe a huge sigh of relief as his future looks to be clearly focused on professional golf.
How Does a Military Exemption Work?
Kim was born in Seoul, South Korea. As an able-bodied South Korean man, he is subject to the country’s mandatory military service. This generally requires able-bodied men to serve between 18 and 21 months. The government offers exemptions to this requirement under special circumstances, including for athletes who win gold at the Asian Games. The exemption allows Kim to avoid the standard active-duty requirement, though he will still have to complete a short period of basic military training and community service.
Kim also helped South Korea secure the team silver medal, but only gold in either the individual or team competition would qualify him for the exemption. With the team falling short of gold, Kim’s individual victory ultimately secured it. He was able to battle adversity and deliver with some of the highest stakes of his career. According to a Yonhap news report, Kim said, “I did not pay any mind to reports (about my military service exemption).” Kim said:
“If I had been reading news, maybe I would not have won this gold medal. I traveled here to represent the country, not to accomplish any personal goal, and I tried to stay focused on that.”
Tom Kim Caps Whirlwind Week After Presidents Cup
Winning a gold medal and securing a military exemption would be a good week for anyone, but it was just the closing act of a whirlwind few days for Tom Kim. He traveled to Japan from Chicago, where he represented the International Team at this year’s Presidents Cup. Kim was impressive in the team event, going a strong 4-1-0 in his matches.
Many in the golf world have noticed Kim’s impressive week, and not just fans. Tiger Woods texted him before his final round, telling him to be himself. Kim later joked that he planned to send him a picture with his gold medal.
Overall, Kim appears to be in excellent form after an impressive Presidents Cup and now an Asian Games gold medal. More importantly, the 24-year-old can continue his PGA Tour career without the prospect of an extended military-service absence hanging over his future.
Tom Kim Secures Military Exemption With Asian Games Gold