Three-under par after just six hours of sleep in 48 hours – Tom Kim is simply a machine on the course at the Asian Games. The South Korean flew straight from the Presidents Cup and carded a strong 67 this Wednesday, while defending champion Taichi Kho even holed an ace.
The Jet-Lag Ninja Tees Off
Kim, currently the world No. 32, had only 48 hours earlier defeated US Open champion Wyndham Clark 3 and 2 in Presidents Cup singles – even though the Internationals came up short against the USA in Medinah, Illinois. After that, it was time for the youngster: off on a plane to Japan. It seems 14 hours of time difference and only six hours of sleep in two days haven't affected him. In his Asian Games debut, he immediately finds himself tied for seventh place.
His playing partners in the featured group were Keita Nakajima from Japan and Hong Kong's Kho, who shot a 68 and a 69 respectively. At the Par-70 Kasugai Country Club, Taiwan's Wang Wei-hsuan and Japan's Kazuki Higa blazed a trail. With a five-under-par 65, they are the pace-setters and the men to beat over the next three rounds.
Ace, Birdies, and the Hunt for Gold
The absolute highlight of the round? Clearly Kho’s ace on the par-3 seventh hole. The Hangzhou Asian Games gold medalist, who pulled off this masterful shot right before the eyes of his mother and father, later recounted: “The greens are really soft today; I only had 155 meters and had to take a lot off a 7-iron. I just lightly feathered the 7-iron, and it looked really good in the air. I didn't even see the ball drop in!”
Tom Kim admitted the strain: “Six hours of sleep in the last 48 hours – you just gotta tough it out. It's nice to be back in Asia. I don't come back very often, so it's fun, and so far, everything is good. I think on the back nine I felt it a little bit, especially after five matches last week. That really takes it out of you. Hopefully, I can get some decent nights' sleep and then feel better.” Kim, by the way, has four titles on the US PGA Tour – insider knowledge that makes his achievements even more remarkable.
Military Service or Major Dreams?
Besides individual medals, there's also a team trophy where aggregated individual results count. Japan leads the men's team standings at nine-under par, even though their third player, amateur Taishi Moto, carded a four-over 74. “This is a great start,” said co-leader Higa. “The two of us pros, Keita and I, want to guide Taishi so he can play more freely.”
China and South Korea are tied for second at seven-under – and for the South Koreans, far more is at stake than just a gold medal. Because should Team South Korea reach the top of the podium
