Tom Kim leads at Asian Games as he pursues military exemption
Tom Kim topped the men's leaderboard after the third round at the Asian Games at Kasugai Country Club in Japan on 2 October 2026 as he seeks a gold medal that would reduce the time he is required to spend in South Korea's military. He heads into the final day in contention for individual gold.
Having begun the round two shots off the lead, Kim produced a five-under 65 that included five birdies and an eagle. That score moved him to 12 under, leaving him one stroke clear with one round to play.
The 24-year-old, ranked world number 32, claimed the Scottish Open in July for his first title in almost three years and already holds an Asian Tour order of merit crown along with four PGA Tour victories. Those results form part of the résumé he hopes will not be interrupted by compulsory service.
Able-bodied South Korean males are usually required to undertake between 18 and 21 months of military service before the age of 28. The government awards Asian Games gold medals and Olympic medals of any colour with a service exemption that removes the requirement for full service but requires basic training that lasts less than a month. Former Tottenham forward Son Heung-min, having won the Asian Games two years earlier, served for only three weeks in 2020.
Kim arrived at Kasugai Country Club after hurrying from the Presidents Cup in the United States, managing on six hours of sleep and a 14-hour time difference. He previously came close to earning an exemption at the Paris Olympics in 2024, when he was tied for third after day one before ultimately finishing eighth and appearing visibly emotional after that result.
Kim’s advantage would have been greater had he not missed birdie putts on the 14th and 18th holes, and he stands ahead of Taiwan’s Wang Wei-hsuan, who had led overnight, and Japan’s Kazuki Higa going into the final round. The men's team event offers an alternative route to exemption, with South Korea topping the men's team leaderboard by one stroke; a team gold would exempt Tom Kim and SH Kim, 28, regardless of their individual results, but it would come too late for the third team member, Mun Do-yeob, who has already served.
"I think about it. It's so tough," SH Kim said of the possibility of 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."
Kim will play the fourth round on day four with the opportunity to secure an individual gold, while South Korea also defends a one-stroke lead in the men's team standings that could deliver exemptions for its leading players.