Tom Kim powers to Games gold and exemption from military service / Photo: Luke Hales - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Tom Kim powers to Games gold and exemption from military service
Tom Kim shot a sparkling final-round six-under 64 on Saturday to win golf gold at the Asian Games -- and avoid a long spell in South Korea's military.
He let out a roar of "Come on!" as he tapped in for par at the last in Nagoya and celebrated a three-stroke victory after a superb round containing five birdies and an eagle.
He was visibly relieved at getting over the line and was mobbed by his teammates as they draped him in the South Korean flag and doused him in water to celebrate.
Kim knew there was more at stake than just a gold medal.
Able-bodied South Korean males are usually required to perform between 18 months and two years of military service before the age of 28.
But the Seoul government rewards Asian Games gold medals and Olympic medals of any colour with an exemption, meaning they will carry out just four weeks of light basic training instead.
It enables the 24-year-old South Korean Kim to keep his blossoming career on track, having already claimed an Asian Tour order of merit crown and four PGA Tour titles.
He won this year's prestigious Scottish Open and was downcast in Paris two years ago after letting the chance of an Olympic medal slip away on the final day, finishing eighth.
Three players were tied for second on 15-under meaning that Kazuki Higa of Japan, Ding Wenyi of China and Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand would need a playoff to decide the rest of the podium.
Earlier, Pranavi Urs held her nerve to hole a knee-knocking three-foot putt for par on the final green to become the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games golf gold.
Urs was doused in water in celebration by her fellow Indians Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar after completing a final round of level-par 70, which proved just enough.
She finished on 15-under par, one stroke ahead of her playing partners Yin Ruoning -- the former world number one from China who made a final-round charge with a three-under 67 -- and Singapore's Shannon Tan who carded a 68.
"That's always the goal to always be the first one to do anything," said Urs.
"The first will always be the first, and I've always had that motto growing up and I'm just glad I could do it."
Yin claimed the silver medal after Tan had a bogey five at the first playoff hole and had to settle for bronze.
Yin, known on the LPGA Tour as "Ronnie", did win a gold in the team event with her China teammates Liu Yan and Zhang Weiwei after they finished top of the leaderboard with an aggregate of 20-under par.
India took silver with Taiwan, whose trio included veteran former world number one Tseng Ya-ni, the bronze.
It was the second Asian Games bronze for five-time major champion Tseng, who is now 37.
She won her first, also in the team event, in Doha 20 years ago.
A.Edwards--PI
