NAGOYA, Japan (AP) — South Korean golfer Tom Kim got what he came for by winning the men’s singles on Saturday at the Asian Games: a gold medal and an exemption from military service back home.
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he → get → service
He shot a 6-under 64 in Saturday’s final round for a four-day total of 18-under 262.
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He → shoot → under
Three golfers were three back and faced a playoff with Kazuki Higa of Japan taking silver and Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana earning bronze.
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Kaewkanjana → face → bronze
Tom Kim made a special effort to win in Japan, flying across the Pacific when the Presidents Cup competition ended last weekend.
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competition → make → Pacific
Asked about the exemption, he took the gold-medal approach.
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he → ask → approach
“Despite that, I’m more proud that I’m able to bring a medal for my country,” he said.
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he → ’m → country
He did acknowledge pressure — the flight, the expectations, the gold medal and more.
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He → acknowledge → pressure
“I tried not to think about it,” he said.
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he → try → it
“I just tried to play (the) best for my country.
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I → try → country
It’s a big stepping stone.
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It → ’ → ?
I think the pressure that I felt this week, I’ll be able to implement it in my upcoming seasons.
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I → think → seasons
Most able-bodied men in South Korea must serve about 18 months in uniform, but a medal of any color at the Olympics — or gold in the Asian Games — provides an out.
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medal → serve → out
However, South Korea failed to win the team competition.
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Korea → fail → competition
That means that S.H. Kim, who played on the team with Tom Kim, did not get the exemption.
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who → mean → exemption
He closed with a 73 and the third team member, 35-year-old Mun Do-yeob, shot 70.
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member → close → 70
Mun had already served and did not need the exemption.
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Mun → serve → exemption
Kim Joo-hyung goes by Tom Kim when he plays on the PGA Tour, and Kim Seong-hyeon goes by S.H. Kim when he plays abroad.
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he → go → Kim
China won the team event with silver for South Korea and bronze for Japan.
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China → win → Japan
The military exemption in South Korea also applies to classical and traditional musicians, dancers and other artists who are viewed as enhancing national pride.
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who → apply → pride
The teams were made up of three players, but only the best two scores counted each day toward the team total.
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scores → make → total
Tom Kim dominated the 7,035-yard at the Kasugai Country Club.
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Kim → dominate → Club
The last two days he carded eagles on the par-5 13th, a 520-yard hole that was very gettable on sunny days for the final rounds with little wind.
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that → card → wind
South Korea at the games have taken advantage
Sixteen South Korea baseball players are also exempt after defeating Japan 3-1 in the Asian Games final earlier in the week.
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players → take → week
So are three South Koreans who won gold in esports, an event at the Asian Games.
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who → win → Games
“Of course the result is important, and the fact that the players will be exempt from the military service is important,” said Lee Sang-hyeok, who is known as “Faker” in the world of esports.
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who → say → esports
Lee won gold three years ago at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, and this time helped teammates avoid the conscription.
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teammates → win → conscription
Some at home question if the exemption — created more than 50 years ago — is fair.
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exemption → question → home
The South Korean news agency Yonhap a few days ago termed the system “outdated” and called for change.
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agency → term → change
The news agency said the baseball game victory over Japan “symbolically reflects the changed times and the public’s expectations.”
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victory → say → times
The Aporia
