Two things were on the line as Tom Kim steadied himself for perhaps the most important putt of his golfing career: An individual gold medal, and a military service exemption. He sank the putt and, with an enormous pressure lifted, immediately put his hands on his head, overcome with emotion.
Kim shot a 4-under 64 in Saturday’s final round of the Asian Games in Japan to win a prize that might end up meaning the most to him in his pro career. By clinching gold, the four-time PGA Tour winner earned an exemption from South Korea’s mandatory military service. Under the country’s conscription rules, most able-bodied men must serve 18 to 21 months in uniform, but male athletes can avoid service by winning a medal of any color at the Olympics, or winning gold in the Asian Games.
Had Kim faltered in this year’s Asian Games, his only chance to secure an exemption may have been the 2028 Olympics, as most South Korean men are expected to enlist by 28.
Here’s video of Kim’s winning putt and ensuing celebration after finishing at 18-under in the four-day tournament:
🚨🪖🥇#BREAKING — Tom Kim fired a final round 64 (-6) to win the Asian Games individual gold medal by 3 strokes, earning himself an exemption from mandatory 18-24 month military service.
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) October 3, 2026
A life changer for the 24-year-old from Seoul, South Korea. pic.twitter.com/Gq3MrcsQnP
South Korea’s Tom Kim gets honest about his gold medal win and military service exemption
Afterward, Kim spoke about what was going through his mind in the final round of his gold medal-winning run.
“I tried not to think about it, I just tried to play the best for my country,” Kim told reporters. “... I didn’t really think about myself. I just thought I wanted to bring a medal for my country.
“It’s unbelievable. I had one goal, and to be able to represent Korea and to win the gold medal, it’s something that I will never forget in my career.”
"I just tried to play the best for my country" 🗣️
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 3, 2026
Tom Kim secured an exemption from completing full mandatory military service in South Korea after he clinched gold in the Men's Individual Strokeplay event at the Asian Games 🥇 pic.twitter.com/Qmj9MiFIoj
Kim’s career will most likely be better off for it.
After turning pro in 2018, the 24-year-old enjoyed some early successes, clinching three of his four PGA Tour wins from ’21 to ‘23, along with a host of international victories. Then his career took a dip as he tumbled outside the world top-100 in 2025 and lost his full exempt status on tour. This past year, he’s quietly climbed back up the ranks for a comeback run, finishing third at the U.S. Open and first in the Scottish Open; he also earned statement wins over some of the Team USA’s best players in Chris Gotterup and Xander Schauffele at the 2026 Presidents Cup.
Recent history shows that South Korean golfers whose careers are interrupted by military service usually struggle upon their return. PGA Tour golfer Seung-yul Noh failed to earn an exemption and completed roughly two years of military service back home from November 2017 to late ‘19. His return unfortunately coincided with the global COVID-19 pandemic. Ever since then, he’s recorded mixed results while splitting time between the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour.
A more salient example of how a golfer’s career can be impacted by South Korea’s conscription laws lies in Sangmoon Bae. Bae, a two-time PGA Tour winner, entered military service in November 2015, at which point he was ranked 88th in the world, according to DeepDiveGolf’s David Bieleski. When he returned to professional golf less than two years later, he was ranked 1,869th. He made just five of 17 cuts in his first season back on the Tour and never quite returned to form.
It makes sense that extended absences would stymie a golfer’s career, just as it would any pro athlete’s. It takes a tremendous amount of time and discipline to hone one’s skills and develop into a top-100 golfer in the world, and a years-long hiatus—like entering South Korea’s mandatory military service—would probably throw even the best off their game.
Kim may have escaped his country’s military service with his gold medal win, but his compatriot wasn’t so lucky. South Korea fell short of winning the team competition at the Asian Games, which meant that Kim’s teammate S.H. Kim did not secure an exemption. Their third team member, Mun Do-yeob, had already served.
“It’s a crazy feeling. I’m just glad it’s over,” Kim told Reuters. “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.”
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