The second round of the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya turned into a true marathon session – and ended for top player Tom Kim under floodlights. Presidents Cup star Kim, defending champion Taichi Kho from Hong Kong, and Japan's Keita Nakajima teed off at 12:35 PM as the last group.
However, the round dragged on like chewing gum. Soft fairways allowed for preferred lies (lift, clean, and place), while other groups ahead of them were already well stuck in the dense trees of the narrow, tree-lined Kasugai Country Club, causing even more delays. The round lasted five hours and 20 minutes – a real ordeal that casually outlasted the 5:38 PM sunset.
What to do? The organizers didn't hesitate: temporary floodlights were brought in so the trio could even putt out on the final green. Almost complete darkness, but the electricity saved the day. Kim tapped in his par putt, virtually in the dazzling spotlight, and carded a 66 (-4). That was good enough for a tie for fifth place at seven under par, alongside his South Korean teammate Mun Do-yeob.
Nakajima added a birdie on the final hole, also shooting a 66. He celebrated the curious finish and even said it brought him a bit of luck. 'It was fun,' said Nakajima. 'I hadn't made a single birdie on the back nine until then.' At the top, Taiwan's Wang Wei-hsuan (66) and China's Deng Wenyi (64) share the lead at nine under par. The Japanese duo Nakajima and Kazuki Higa (67) are tied for third at eight under. Things didn't go as smoothly for Hong Kong's defending champion Taichi Kho: just an even-par 70, total one under. The dream of defending his gold medal is starting to crack.
In the women's competition, Singapore's Shannon Tan continues to be very strong. After her opening round of 63, she followed up with a spectacular round of six under par (64) and is now at 13 under. She holds a two-shot lead over former world No. 1 Yin Ruoning from China and South Korea's Yang Yun-seo.
