Tom Kim leads Asian Games golf in chase to avoid military service

NAGOYA – Tom Kim stormed to the top of the third-round men’s golf leaderboard at the Asian Games on Oct 2 as he chases a gold medal to keep him from a spell in South Korea’s military.

Kim started the day two shots back from the lead, but a brilliant five-under 65 at Kasugai Country Club that included five birdies and an eagle took him a stroke clear at 12-under par with one round to play.

Kim and his South Korean teammates know there is more at stake than just a gold medal.

Able-bodied South Korean males are usually required to perform between 18 months and two years of military service before the age of 28.

But the Seoul government rewards Asian Games gold medals and Olympic medals of any colour with an exemption.

The lead could easily have been bigger for the world No. 32, who saw birdie putts on the 14th and 18th agonisingly lip out when they seemed destined for the centre of the cup.

Tied for second on 11-under are overnight leader Wang Wei-hsuan of Taiwan (68) and local favourite Kazuki Higa of Japan, who saw a birdie putt for the co-lead at 18 slide by as he returned a 67.

Kim made a frantic dash from the Presidents Cup in the United States to tee off in Japan about 48 hours later, having had to cope with a long journey, just six hours’ sleep and a 14-hour time difference.

Gold for the 24-year-old South Korean would avoid putting a blossoming career on hold, having already claimed an Asian Tour order of merit crown and four PGA Tour titles.

He won the prestigious Scottish Open in 2026 and was visibly downcast in Paris two years ago after letting an Olympic medal slip away on the final day, finishing seventh.

South Korea also top the men’s team event leaderboard by one stroke after three rounds.

Gold in that will exempt Tom Kim and S.H. Kim, or Kim Seong-hyeon, from the military, regardless of the individual result, but it would come too late for the third team member, Mun Do-yeob, who has already served his time.

“I think about it. It’s so tough,” said S.H. Kim of looming military service.

“I am 100% nervous, for sure. It’s a lot of pressure. I could stay on the PGA Tour (with a gold). That’s my goal.”

India’s Pranavi Urs will take a three-shot lead into the final round of the women’s competition after a four-under 66 took her to 15-under.

Urs began the day a stroke behind overnight leader Shannon Tan, but the Singaporean had a round to forget.

Tan dropped three shots with bogeys at the second, fifth and 10th before fighting back with three birdies in a row.

But another costly five at the par-four 14th handed Urs a cushion for the final day.

Third on 11-under, four behind Urs, is China’s former world No. 1 Yin Ruoning. AFP