South Korean golfer Tom Kim faces a high-stakes transition at the 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club, leaving the International team early Sunday to compete in the Asian Games in Japan. A gold medal in either the singles or team event will grant him an exemption from South Korea’s mandatory military service.
The 16th Presidents Cup reaches its climax Sunday with 12 singles matches at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois. Yet one of the International team’s most formidable competitors will likely miss the closing moments. Tom Kim, who secured three wins out of four matches this week, is set to depart for Japan late Sunday afternoon. Here is why that matters: his destination is the Kasugi Country Club, where the Asian Games begin Wednesday.
For Kim, the tournament represents more than just another international appearance. Under South Korean law, able-bodied men must complete 18 to 21 months of military service. The state grants special exemptions exclusively to athletes and classical artists who achieve top-tier international success tied to national prestige. In athletic terms, that means securing any medal at the Olympics or a gold medal at the Asian Games.
The stakes are intensely personal for the 24-year-old. Two years ago at the Paris Olympics, Kim experienced a heartbreaking near-miss. He started the final round four shots off the lead, closed with a 68, and ultimately missed securing a bronze medal by just four strokes. While he would likely have another opportunity at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the Asian Games offer a more immediate path to securing his professional future.
Kim’s trajectory over recent seasons underlines his rising stature in the sport. When selectors chose him for the South Korean team, he sat at No. 144 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Since that selection, he captured the Scottish Open title, finished third at the U.S. Open, and climbed to No. 31 in the world.
| Golfer | Status / Background | Exemption Stakes |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Kim | World No. 31, Presidents Cup standout | Mandatory military service exemption via gold medal |
| S.H. Kim | PGA Tour player returned to South Korea in April | Mandatory military service exemption via gold medal |
| Do-yeob Moon | National team selection | Mandatory military service exemption via gold medal |
Two sources close to the International team confirmed Kim’s impending departure for Japan on Sunday afternoon, speaking anonymously because Kim has not publicly addressed his Asian Games schedule. His absence on Saturday afternoon followed a loss in his foursomes match, keeping him focused on the grueling schedule ahead.
Before catching his flight, Kim faces a daunting final assignment at Medinah. He tees off Sunday in the second of 12 singles matches at 11:14 a.m. local time, squaring off against U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark.
South Korea’s pursuit of gold will not be straightforward. The nation’s stiffest competition in Japan is expected to come from the host country. Japan’s roster features PGA Tour member Keita Nakajima, Kazuki Higa—who topped the Asian Tour money list in 2025—and Taishi Moto, who plays collegiate golf at Arizona.
Professional golfers only recently gained eligibility for the Asian Games, which were delayed until 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At that iteration, Sungjae Im and Si Woo Kim represented South Korea as professionals, dominating the field to win the team gold medal by 25 strokes. Joining Tom Kim on this year’s South Korean squad are S.H. Kim—who started the year on the PGA Tour before returning to South Korea in April—and Do-yeob Moon.
As Medinah crowns a winner in a Presidents Cup the International team has not claimed in 28 years, Tom Kim’s eyes are already fixed across the Pacific. But there is a catch: missing the trophy presentation on Sunday is a small price to pay if it means securing his exemption from military service next week in Japan.
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