Tom Kim closed out the 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club with a win over Wyndham Clark on Sunday, then rushed to O'Hare to catch a flight to Japan, where he opened play at the Asian Games this week in pursuit of a medal that could spare him from South Korea's mandatory military service.
A Big Week at Medinah, Even in Defeat
The United States held off the International team to win the Presidents Cup, with the final margin settling at 17-13 after four days at Medinah Country Club outside Chicago. It marked another near-miss for an International side still chasing its first victory since 1998.
Tom Kim was one of the bright spots for the losing side. He recorded one of the two solo wins in Sunday singles for the International side, beating two-time U.S. Open winner Wyndham Clark 3 and 2, capping a week in which he earned three of a possible four points at Medinah.
On the American side, rookie Jackson Koivun delivered one of the week's standout debuts. The 21-year-old, who headed to Medinah Country Club with 11 other top-ranked Americans after getting the nod from Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker, went 2-0-1 and earned a 2-up victory over Si Woo Kim after falling to 2-down after 10 holes in Sunday singles.
From Medinah Straight to Kasugai
There was no time for Kim to celebrate or commiserate. Two people involved with the International team confirmed Kim was scheduled to leave Chicago for Japan late Sunday afternoon because he was entered to play in the Asian Games that start on Wednesday.
The urgency paid off quickly. After leaving Chicago Sunday night and arriving in Japan late Monday, Kim shot a 3-under 67 to open the Asian Games at Kasugai Country Club East Course, leaving him two shots off the early lead.
Why a Medal Matters So Much
The stakes go well beyond a trophy. If the 24-year-old Kim wins either the gold medal or a team medal, he would be excused from mandatory military service in South Korea, where able-bodied men are expected to begin their service by age 28.
Under South Korean law, most able-bodied men must perform 18 to 21 months of military service, though special exemptions are granted for athletes and classical artists who excel in international competitions. For golfers, that means a medal of any color at the Olympics or specifically a gold medal at the Asian Games.
Kim has already had one close call. He came close to earning a bronze medal at the 2024 Olympics in Paris after shooting a final-round 68, missing out on third place by four shots. There is precedent for success on this exact stage: Sungjae Im and Si Woo Kim, both competing on the International team this week, won a gold medal for South Korea in the team competition during the 2023 Asian Games, a triumph by a lopsided margin that secured their exemptions.
A Cautionary Tale Looms Over the Pursuit
The example of fellow South Korean Sangmoon Bae shows how high the price of coming up short can be. Bae, a two-time PGA Tour winner, lost a legal battle to defer his conscription and began his service shortly after representing the International team. He started his service in November 2015, only weeks after playing in the Presidents Cup, serving 21 months in the South Korean army alongside soldiers a full decade younger than him. He was made a rifleman even though he'd never held a gun before, and rarely had time to practice golf.
Bae eventually returned to competition, but his comeback was difficult. He made his return to PGA Tour action after a two-year absence, posting a one-over 73 at Silverado Country Club in his first appearance since the 2015 Presidents Cup, and it took him nearly a year to find any form again, eventually regaining his Tour card through a Web.com Tour victory. His story is the backdrop against which Kim's gamble in Japan is now being judged.
What Comes Next
Kim is one of three South Korean golfers in the men's competition in Japan, alongside Do-yeob Moon and S.H. Kim, as the Asian Games golf tournament continues through the week. A team medal remains in play even if his individual position slips, giving him another path to the exemption that has shadowed his career since his teenage breakthrough on the PGA Tour.
For now, his week has gone from one high-profile stage to another without a pause, the kind of whiplash schedule that only makes sense when a nation's mandatory service laws are the opponent as much as the leaderboard.