Tom Kim is currently competing at the Asian Games in hopes of avoiding military service.
Under South Korean Law, all able-bodied men must complete 18 to 21 months of mandatory military service before turning 28. This applies even to professional athletes such as Tom Kim, meaning he faces a major interruption at the start of his prime years.
However, the South Korean government grants special military service exemptions to athletes who achieve specific milestones of high national prestige, namely winning any Olympic medal or a gold medal at the Asian Games.
That’s why immediately after the Presidents Cup, Kim flew to Japan to compete in the Asian Games. Winning a Gold Medal in either the individual or team event would grant him an exemption, and it’s vitally important that he achieves this.
One South Korean golfer wasn’t lucky enough to avoid military service, and it derailed his career.
How military service derailed Bae Sang-moon’s career
When South Korean golfer Bae Sang-moon was forced to stop playing on the PGA Tour for mandatory military service, it became a turning point which derailed his professional career.
In 2015, Bae was at the peak of his powers. He’d already won twice on the PGA Tour and was a rising star in the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings.
However, despite his best attempts to avoid military service, Bae was legally obligated to leave the tour and enlist in the South Korean army for two years. This proved fatal to his PGA Tour career.
Bae’s time in the military left him no time to work on his golf game, completely severing his rhythm and feel. When he was discharged and returned to the PGA Tour in late 2017, his world ranking had plummeted to 1,869th.
Bae admitted he hadn’t forgotten how to swing a club, but had completely lost the feel of how to play competitive golf. He managed only a few cuts in his immediate return.
He did salvage some of his former form, winning on the Korn Ferry Tour, but Bae eventually lost his PGA Tour card. This is a cautionary tale for players like Kim who hope to avoid the same fate.