Tom Kim posts emotional statement after failing to win Olympic medal to avoid military service

Tom Kim represented South Korea in the Olympic men’s golf event in Paris but fell short of securing a medal in the final round on Sunday.

After missing out on an exemption from mandatory military service at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Kim penned an emotional statement. Representing South Korea alongside An Byeong-hun, both golfers face 21 months of military service before turning 35. Winning an Olympic medal would have granted them exemption from this requirement.

Kim had positioned himself well to compete for a medal, but ultimately finished four shots behind Hideki Matsuyama, landing in eighth place with a score of 13-under-par. After the final round, Kim was seen tearfully signing his card next to eventual champion and close friend, Scottie Scheffler.

Taking to Instagram to share his thoughts, Kim wrote, “Hello, I’m Kim Joo Hyung, a golfer in Korea. Not sure where to speak from. First of all, I really want to thank my loving Father God who always want to give glory to you when I succeed and when I fail in life. Thank you so much for always teaching me to be humble as a person and a golfer, guiding me on the right path and being my biggest strength in difficult situations.

Until now, there are no Korean golfers who have Olympic games every month, so this time, my Korean players ate hard and ran with the burden… But I feel so sorry and more responsible for not doing that. To all the Korean fans who cheered me on the field as well as in Korea, I am very sorry that I did not get the desired result and I will try harder. Thank you.”

Kim also paid tribute to Scheffler, writing, “Huge shout out to @scottie.scheffler man this guy never fails to impress me. I cherish our moments but this one was very special. Despite what he had done, what you said to me after our round meant everything to me. Happy for you and your team. Congrats.”

At just 22 years old, Kim remains optimistic about his future, hoping to qualify and compete in the 2028 Games in Los Angeles at Riviera Country Club. Additionally, he has the opportunity to earn a military service exemption through the Asian Games, as fellow Tour stars Sungjae Im and Si Woo Kim did by winning gold in the men’s golf event in 2023.