Tom Kim faces early Presidents Cup exit in pursuit of military exemption

Medinah, Illinois – Tom Kim, one of the top leaders for the International Team in their quest for a Presidents Cup victory since 1998, may have to leave the competition early if his team triumphs. The 24-year-old South Korean is set to compete against American Wyndham Clark in the second of 12 singles matches at Medinah No. 3. According to a report from the Associated Press, Kim is one of three Korean golfers participating in the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, which commences on Wednesday at Kasugai Country Club in Aichi Prefecture.

Ranked No. 31 worldwide and a July winner of the Genesis Scottish Open, Kim has much to gain. If he secures a gold medal in either the men's or team competitions, he would be exempt from his mandatory military service. Two unnamed sources familiar with the International Team confirmed that Kim is departing for Japan on Sunday afternoon.

They spoke on the condition of anonymity as they have not discussed the Asian Games with Kim. All male individuals between 19 and 21 years old are required to serve in the military, though they can delay their service date for reasons other than cultural significance, such as winning an Olympic medal. Kim was not present on Saturday following his loss in the foursomes match.

Two other Korean golfers, Seung Yul-Noh and Sang-Moon Bae, won on the PGA Tour before their mandatory military service but have struggled to regain their form after taking a two-year break from competition. The International Team's Sungjae Im and Si Woo Kim won the gold medal in the team competition by 25 shots for South Korea in 2023 and have been granted an exemption from military service.