Young Tom Kim, the guy who made us all yell "Go Tom!" at the Presidents Cup and is now busy becoming a PGA Tour staple, has pulled off something most ambitious dudes only dream of: getting out of a really annoying national chore. By snagging the gold at the Asian Games, Kim, with a flourish that would make a diplomat nod approvingly, has sidestepped the 18-to-21-month military service that hangs over every young South Korean man.
You could say that while Sisyphus got stuck rolling a boulder uphill forever, Kim’s modern-day equivalent involved wrestling 72 holes under the intense stare of the world. Thankfully for Kim and his rabid fan base (who’d rather watch him hit lasers than march in formation), this particular ordeal ended with a triumphant six-under 64 and a three-shot cushion. The sheer mental grit it takes to pull that off, even if the prize is just a little white ball, is no joke. It’s definitely a nicer way to do your civic duty than, say, digging foxholes.
He rolled into Japan fresh off the Presidents Cup – a schedule that suggests the man has an allergy to sitting still – facing the pressure cooker of needing either individual or team glory to get his reprieve. Smart guy, he went for the solo prize, showing the kind of focus that makes you think he’s part eagle, part laser beam. His teammates, bless their hearts, ended up with silver after getting edged out by China, but Kim’s solo effort was, to borrow a phrase from the Bard, "a consummation devoutly to be wished."
That final round was a clinic in controlled chaos. The front nine saw four birdies, and the back nine tacked on another birdie and a rather dramatic eagle on the 13th that pretty much sealed the deal. A single bogey on the 17th, a tiny hiccup in an otherwise stellar performance, only made the surrounding brilliance pop, like a lone smudge on an otherwise spotless monocle. The final score of 18 under par is pretty darn good and, more importantly, it speaks volumes for Tom Kim, who just bought himself a massive chunk of career freedom.
This whole military exemption thing isn’t exactly new for South Korean athletes. Heung-Min Son, the footballing wizard, also used Asian Games gold to snag a shortened stint of basic training. Kim’s last shot at this, the Paris Olympics, didn't quite pan out, which would have made the 2028 Los Angeles Games his last, and rather dramatic, chance. This win, though, means a much less stressful road ahead, letting him keep chasing his impressive PGA Tour trajectory, a path that’s way better for international fame and, I’m guessing, a much more comfortable lifestyle.