Korean professional golfer Tom Kim is set to compete in the men’s golf tournament at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, running from September 30 to October 3 at the Kasugai Country Club in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, according to the Korean news agency Yonhap.
Team Selection and Tournament Structure
South Korea’s roster for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games was finalized using rankings from the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and the Korea Golf Association (KGA), as reported by Yonhap. The men’s squad features Kim Seong-hyun, Tom Kim, and Moon Do-yeop, selected on the basis of their May OWGR positions. Previous Hangzhou Asian Games medalists Im Sung-jae and Kim Si-woo opted out of the event, opening doors for Kim and Moon. The women’s division consists of amateur high school golfers Park Seo-jin, Kim Gyu-bin, and Yang Yoon-seo, selected via KGA rankings. Competition across both divisions spans four rounds over four days, with team standings determined by combining the scores of each country’s top three players.
Chasing Redemption After Paris Heartbreak
Holding a strong position in the upper tier throughout the four rounds, Kim finished tied for 13-under-par 271 for eighth place, marking South Korea’s best-ever Olympic finish in men’s golf. Visibly emotional following the final round, Kim stated that he wanted to win a medal for South Korea’s golf community because the country had never previously claimed an Olympic golf medal, emphasizing the heavy weight of representing the national flag.
Recent Form and PGA Tour Resurgence
Kim returns to international duty after breaking a lengthy slump on the PGA Tour, highlighted by a victory at the Genesis Scottish Open in July, according to Yonhap. Turning professional and winning on the KPGA Tour at just 18 years old in 2020, Kim quickly transitioned to the United States and claimed multiple PGA Tour victories. Following a dry spell that lasted nearly three years, his Scottish Open win marked his fourth career PGA Tour title and his first in 33 months. He subsequently advanced through the FedExCup Playoffs, finishing tied for 12th at the opening event and tied for 28th at the BMW Championship to secure a spot in the Tour Championship.
Historical Context in Asian Games Golf
South Korea boasts a deep history in Asian Games golf with 14 total gold medals across men’s and women’s events, though an individual gold medal has eluded the men’s team for 16 years, according to Yonhap. The last men’s individual gold came from Kim In-hwi at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games. At the 2022 Hangzhou Games held in late 2023, Im Sung-jae secured an individual silver medal while teaming up with Kim Si-woo, Cho Woo-young, and Jang Yu-bin to capture team gold. As a 2002-born player entering the 2026 games in prime competitive form, Kim carries strong expectations to bridge that 16-year gap in individual competition.
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