One of the biggest subplots at the men’s golf tournament in Paris this week revolved around Tom Kim, a 22-year-old South Korean man whose magnetic personality has made him a rising star.
But this subplot quickly turned into an anomaly that most people are lucky enough to never have to experience: All able-bodied men in South Korea must serve 21 months in the military before they turn 35. To avoid the mandatory period, an athlete must win an Olympic medal, which is what Kim tried to do this week in Paris. But he fell four strokes short of a bronze medal, finishing in sole eighth place at 13 under par.
that is Kim sheds tears Afterwards in the scoring tent.
“I’ve never been more emotional after a round,” Kim said after a 3-under 68 on Sunday.
“I know these emotions are surprising, but I think they’re coming out because I’ve worked so hard over the last year to get to this position. Scottie [Scheffler] After the round he told me, “That went really well. I’m just hanging in there.”
Kim did not provide any details about Scheffler’s proposal, but there is no doubt that his words carried a lot of weight and likely had a lot of support.
“He’s a really good friend,” Kim said of Scheffler, who won the gold medal and competed against Kim on Sunday.
“We’re going to play golf again next week. He understands what I’ve been through. Just having a friend say something like that after what he’s done means a lot.”
Scheffler is like a brother to Kim, and the two share the same birthday. Every year, the two star golfers celebrate by having dinner together before and after the Travelers Championship in Connecticut. This year, Kim, Scheffler, and Sam Burns went to Sally’s Apizza in New Haven, a world-famous pizza place that Kim raves about. A few days later, Kim lost to Scheffler in a close playoff at TPC River Highlands, but she proved to the world that she is not afraid and can compete with the best.
The same could be said about Kim’s play this week. He started well at Le Golf National on Sunday with four birdies in the first nine holes for a 4-under 32. But a three-putt from 14 feet on the par-3 11th hole halted his momentum, and a double-bogey six on the final hole dropped him to 13-under for the tournament, falling well short of the goal he set for himself in Paris.
But just by arriving in Paris he will have achieved one of the goals he set for himself at the start of the season.
“I was struggling at the beginning of the year, but I really wanted to compete in the Olympics,” Kim explained.
“Once I made that decision, it felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. Then the Olympic games started and I spent the last two weeks just trying to prepare and just go forward. And then the round was over and it was all over. I think all the emotions I’ve had this year just came out.”
Fortunately, Kim won’t have to serve anytime soon — she’ll have another chance to win a medal at the Riviera when Los Angeles hosts the Summer Olympics in 2028. But the young Korean wasn’t thinking about her national service Sunday. Instead, like every athlete in Paris this week, she thought about the importance of representing her country.
Asked about the military, Kim said he had “not thought about it at all.”
“Just aim to win a medal for your country, not for yourself.”
Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation Playing Through. Follow For more golf articles, follow us on Twitter Jack Mirko In the same way.
