Tom Kim gets the job done as Asian Games gold secures military service exemption

Tom Kim has secured Asian Games gold — and with it an exemption from South Korea's mandatory military service — after producing a brilliant final round in Japan.

The 24-year-old began the final day with just a one-shot advantage but quickly put daylight between himself and the chasing pack.

Kim carded a 6-under 64, mixing five birdies with an eagle to finish three shots clear on 18-under par and claim the individual title.

Kazuki Higa of Japan, China's Ding Wenyi and Thailand's Sadom Kaewkanjana shared second place.

There was disappointment for South Korea in the team competition though, as China pipped them to gold. 

For Kim, however, the individual victory also settles one of the biggest off-course issues surrounding his career.

South Korean men are generally required to complete between 18 and 21 months of military service before turning 28. 

Elite athletes can, however, qualify for an exemption through success at certain international events.

An Asian Games gold medal is one route to exemption, while Olympic medals of any colour can also qualify athletes for the same status, subject to a period of basic military training.

Kim had previously come agonisingly close to securing an Olympic medal at Paris 2024. 

He was inside the medal positions heading into the final round but slipped back to finish eighth.

This time, there was no late collapse.

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Starting the final round with a narrow lead, Kim steadily increased his advantage and finished in style with a 64 that left his rivals unable to keep pace.

The performance is even more impressive given the gruelling schedule Kim has endured over the past week.

He travelled directly from the Presidents Cup in Chicago to Japan after representing the International team at Medinah, with very little time to recover before beginning his Asian Games campaign.

Kim was one of the standout performers for Geoff Ogilvy's International side despite their 17-13 defeat to the United States.

He finished as his team's leading points scorer, collecting four points from five matches.

Kim partnered fellow South Korean Si Woo Kim in all four of his team matches, winning three of them, before producing another strong performance in Sunday's singles.

He defeated Wyndham Clark 3&2 to complete an impressive individual week at the Presidents Cup.

Rather than having time to rest after that victory, Kim then made the journey to Japan with another major target in sight.

The demanding turnaround did little to slow him down.

Instead, he arrived at the Asian Games and delivered when the stakes were at their highest, turning a one-shot overnight advantage into a comfortable three-shot victory.

The triumph adds another major chapter to what has already been an impressive season.

Kim finished third at the U.S. Open before claiming the Scottish Open in July, establishing himself as one of the leading South Korean players on the international circuit.

His Asian Games victory now gives him the exemption he had been seeking, removing the prospect of an extended interruption to his professional career.

Kim's Olympic experience had shown just how close he could come to earning the necessary medal on the biggest stage. 

In Japan, however, he made sure there would be no need for another anxious wait.

There was disappointment for South Korea elsewhere in the team competition.

Ding helped China edge out South Korea for team gold, meaning SH Kim missed out on the exemption that his compatriot earned through his individual victory.

For Kim, though, the objective was clear — and he completed it in emphatic fashion.

After travelling from Chicago to Japan, competing at two major international events in the space of a week and producing eight competitive rounds across the Presidents Cup and Asian Games, Kim finally has the gold medal that removes the military service question from his professional future.

It was quite a way to finish an exhausting week.