'Just be you': Kim reveals Tiger text that inspired him to gold

Tom Kim, the gold medalist in golf at the Asian Games, spoke to reporters about the inspiration behind his fantastic final round score of 64. It was a text from Tiger Woods that helped him conquer the nerves and pressure. The message simply read, "Just be you. Nothing more, nothing less," which proved to be a pivotal factor in his victory.

Kim and Woods had already known each other before forming a friendship on a golf simulator team initiated by Woods himself. When asked if he had replied to Woods, Kim stated that he had not, but he intended to send him a photo of himself biting his gold medal. As Kim rolled the final putt, he let out a shout of triumph. He described the pressure of securing a gold medal as vastly different from regular tournament golf.

Kim admitted that the week leading up to the competition was the most nerve-wracking week of his life, but the thought that it would be over soon helped him maintain his composure. In South Korea, Asian Games and Olympic gold medalists are exempt from mandatory military service, which usually lasts between 18 months and two years.

This exemption allowed Kim to focus on his career, having already won four times on the PGA Tour. As he looks ahead, Kim's next target is the 2028 Los Angeles Games, where he aims to win an Olympic gold medal.