Tom Kim goes from Presidents Cup to Asian Games with a chance to be exempt from military service

MEDINAH, Ill. (AP) — The International team has a chance to win the Presidents Cup for the first time in 28 years, and Tom Kim most likely won't be around for the outcome Sunday.

Kim, who has won three of his four matches this week at Medinah, faces a tournament that feels just as big next week in Japan. He is one three South Korean golfers competing in the Asian Games, which starts Wednesday at Kasugi Country Club.

A gold medal in the men's competition or the team competition would excuse Kim from his mandatory military service.

Two people involved with the International team confirmed Kim is leaving for Japan late Sunday afternoon. They spoke on condition of anonymity because Kim hasn't spoken about the Asian Games. He was not available Saturday after losing his foursomes match.

Kim was emotional at the Paris Olympics two years ago when he started the final round four shots out of the lead, closed with a 68 and missed out on a bronze medal by four shots. At 24, he would likely get another shot at an Olympic medal in Los Angeles in 2028.

Under South Korean law, most able-bodied men must perform 18 to 21 months of military service. Special exemptions are granted for athletes and classical artists who excel in certain kinds of international competitions tied to national prestige.

For athletes, that means any medal at the Olympics or a gold medal at the Asian Games.

Kim was No. 144 in the world when he was selected for the South Korean team. Since then, he won the Scottish Open, finished third in the U.S. Open and is No. 31 in the world.

Also chosen were S.H. Kim, who started this year on the PGA Tour until he was required to return to South Korea in April ; and Do-yeob Moon.

The Asian Games previously were for amateurs. Pros were allowed for the last Asian Games, delayed until 2023 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sungjae Im and Si Woo Kim were the professionals chosen. South Korea won the gold medal in the team competition by 25 shots.

Tom Kim is playing in the second of 12 matches Sunday at Medinah, teeing off at 11:14 a.m. local time against U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark.

South Korea's stiffest competition from the Asian Games figures to come from Japan, which has PGA Tour member Keita Nakajima and Kazuki Higa, who won the Asian Tour money list in 2025. Joining them is Taishi Moto, who plays at Arizona.

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