Asian Games - last round
-18 T Kim (Kor); -15 K Higa (Jpn), W Ding (Chi), S Kaewkanjana (Tha); -11 W-H Wang (Tpe)
Tom Kim won golden astatine the Asian Games to unafraid an exemption from mandatory work successful South Korea's military.
The 24-year-old led going into the last circular and produced a superb six-under-par 64 to decorativeness 18 nether and assertion triumph by 3 strokes.
There were signs of nerves with a bogey connected the 17th but, aft 5 birdies and an eagle anterior to that, Kim had the borderline for mistake and tapped successful for par connected the past earlier letting retired a roar, his alleviation wide to see.
Able-bodied South Korean males are usually required to undertake betwixt 18 and 21 months of subject work earlier the property of 28.
However, the authorities rewards Asian Games champions and Olympic medal-winners of immoderate colour with a work exemption barroom basal training, which lasts little than a month.
Athletes who person antecedently secured the exemption see erstwhile Tottenham footballer Son Heung-min, who served for lone 3 weeks successful 2020 having won the Asian Games with his state 2 years earlier.
Kim rushed from the Presidents Cup successful the United States to tee disconnected astatine the Kasugai Country Club successful Japan, having to negociate connected conscionable six hours of slumber and a 14-hour clip difference.
His efforts were worthy it arsenic the satellite fig 32 tin present proceed his career, successful which helium has already won 4 PGA Tour titles and triumphed astatine the Scottish Open successful July, with minimal disruption.
Kim had antecedently travel adjacent to securing an exemption astatine the Paris Olympics successful 2024, finishing time 1 tied for 3rd earlier yet finishing eighth.
However, his compatriot SH Kim, 28, missed retired connected a subject exemption arsenic South Korea could lone triumph metallic successful the squad event, alongside Tom Kim and Mun Do-yeob, who has already completed his service.
English (US)·