Tom Kim is leaving the Presidents Cup before it’s over, flying out Sunday afternoon to chase something bigger than a team trophy: a way out of mandatory military service in South Korea.
Kim has racked up three points out of a possible four for the International team at Medinah this week, and his squad has a real shot at winning the Presidents Cup for only the second time in the event’s history on Sunday. But Kim won’t be there to see it finish. He’s set to play Wyndham Clark in the second singles match of the day, then board a flight to Japan for the Asian Games, which begin Wednesday at Kasugi Country Club.
The reason is simple. Under South Korean law, most able-bodied men must complete 18 to 21 months of military service. The government grants exemptions to athletes and classical artists who win at the top level internationally, including any Olympic medal or a gold medal at the Asian Games. A gold medal in either the men’s individual or team competition in Japan would clear Kim of the obligation entirely.
Kim, born in Seoul, has been close before. At the 2024 Paris Olympics he shot a final-round 68 but still missed the bronze medal by four shots in the individual event; Scottie Scheffler took gold. Two of Kim’s current International teammates, Sungjae Im and Si Woo Kim, already have their exemption secured, having won gold for South Korea in the team competition at the 2023 Asian Games.
This time Kim will play for South Korea alongside Do-yeob Moon and S.H. Kim. He’s 24 years old, a four-time PGA Tour winner, and one of only four International team members who played in all four sessions at this year’s Presidents Cup.
