A dark shadow looms over these superstars of Olympic golf. Only a gold medal will remove it

There will be far more than a gold medal resting on Tom Kim’s shoulders on Sunday should he remain in contention at the Olympics over the weekend after what has been a fine debut for his nation in Paris.

The South Korean has emerged as a shining star on the US PGA Tour with three victories and sits just three shots behind joint leaders Hidecki Matsuyama, Xander Schauffele and Tommy Fleetwood at 8-under at Le Golf National after two rounds.

Australian Jason Day trails the leaders by six shots after a 3-under 68 took him to 5-under for the Olympics, while Min Woo Lee shot one of the best rounds of the second day following his horror opening, with a six-under 65 on Friday moving him to 1-under overall.

Kim, who finished equal-second with Day in last year’s British Open and is ranked 11, and compatriot Ben An, who is 2-under the card, have an additional incentive to succeed this week in Paris.

Should either golfer stand atop the podium, they will earn an exemption from South Korea’s strict rules that require men to serve almost two years of compulsory military service prior to turning 35.

The chances for sportsmen earning an exemption rest on achieving the pinnacle in either the Olympic or Asian Games.

The clock is ticking for both men but particularly An, a four-time winner on professional tours who is currently ranked 32, which is also his age. Unless he strikes soon, a stint in the military looms, which could have dire ramifications for his career.

Quizzed prior to the Olympics about the importance of striking gold at Le Golf National, Kim offered a diplomatic answer, mindful of the importance of respecting his national flag.

“I think the easiest answer for us is we’re here to play good this week. We are not focused on (earning an exemption),” he said.

“We are here to represent our country and I want … me and Ben to be standing in that stadium not four exemption, but for our country.

“That’s the most important part. That’s the pride of being a South Korean. We have our services and it is what it is. We are going to go throughout and we are going to play our best and I really hope he and I are standing on that podium.”

PSYCHOLOGICAL SNAPS AND A CAREER AT RISK

The pressure on South Korean athletes is significant given the finite time a professional career lasts and the difficulty associated with returning to the top after a significant break.

A tantrum from tennis player Kwon Soon-woo, who has won two ATP Tour titles and peaked at a ranking of 52 in 2021, last year provided an insight into the psychological challenges associated with the certainty that no less than winning will be good enough.

Sidelined by a shoulder injury through the first half of last year, the 26-year-old eyed the approaching Asian Games with increasing apprehension as he tried to return to the court.

A winner of the Adelaide International in January, 2023, Kwon rushed his comeback from injury but lost to Thai rival Samrej Kasidit, who was ranked several hundred spots below him, when not yet fully match fit and lost his composure completely on the court.

The ramifications were severe after he obliterated his racquet and failed to shake the hand of his opponent or the umpire, with the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee calling his actions “extremely regretful”.

Generally mild-mannered on the court, Kwon felt the wrath of searing social media criticism from home and within days his girlfriend Yubin, a K-Pop star, had dumped him and erased any presence of him on her own social media accounts.

Kwon penned a lengthy handwritten note apologising for bringing disrespect to his nation.

“Immediately after the end of the second round of the Asian Games Tennis (match) with Kasidit Samrej, I did something reckless that I should not have done as a national team player,” a translation of the note read.

“I sincerely apologise to all the people who supported the national team’s game and to the crowd at the stadium. I’m sorry. Once again, I sincerely apologise to Samrej … who was offended by my rude behaviour. I sincerely regret and reflect on the actions that were seen after the match.

“As a national athlete representing the country, I will reflect on the weight of the Taegeuk mark carefully and be a responsible athlete and pay attention to all actions. Once again, my sincere apologies to all the sports lovers.”

Speaking prior to a second-round clash against Alex de Minaur in the Miami Masters in March this year, Kwon confirmed he would enter the military at the end of 2024.

“I tried to come back earlier than expected. I wasn’t really fully recovered, but I only had one shot, so I tried to come back,” he said.

“But I was having a tough time coming back and I felt a lot of pressure.”

It is not just tennis players and golfers for whom a gold medal exemption can prove life-changing, with basketballers, soccer players and even eSports competitors vying to stand atop the podium in the Olympics and Asian Games for South Korea.

Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min earned an exemption from an extended stint of service when part of the Korean team with won a gold medal in the 2018 Asian Games, though he completed three weeks in 2020 and earned rewards for his skills.

His military service included shooting and bayonet skills, chemical, biological and radiological training, individual battle skills and first aid training, the BBC reported.

“He received the ‘Pilsung’ prize, which is one of five types of awards for best performers,” an officer said, as reported by the Yonhap News Agency.

“All the courses were judged in a fair and strict manner, and his military training officers have said he went through the training faithfully.”

THE IMPACT OF FAILING TO SECURE AN EXEMPTION

Bae Sang-Moon, who won the Byron Nelson Championship in 2013 and another PGA Tour event a year after, found himself in a similar position to Kim and An a decade ago.

But the former world No.26, who has 16 professional wins to his name, did not have the same opportunity for an Olympics golden exemption given golf did not re-enter the Games until Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Nor were professional golfers allowed to compete in the Asian Games when he was seeking an exemption.

Bae was only 28 when he was called on to enlist and proved unsuccessful in his bid for an exemption when arguing he had residency in the USA, but the PGA Tour introduced a “mandatory exemption” clause to allow him to keep his card after his military stint.

The 2015 Presidents Cup was his final outing before he began 21 months of service and his subsequent struggles serve as an example of what is at stake this week for Kim and An.

Now 38, he managed a win on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2018 after resuming but is currently ranked 552 and has struggled to make the cut when playing on the PGA Tour in recent years.

But Sungjae Im and Si Woo Kim, who both enjoyed good moments at the British Open at Troon recently, serve as an inspiration for An and Kim.

While the attention of the golf world was on a thrilling and feisty Ryder Cup in Rome, the pair managed to win the team gold medal for Korea in the Asian Games in China, earning themselves an exemption from military service.

“I think I should be able to stay focused even more on the PGA Tour. I feel like I can have a really long and successful run there. I think this will help me so much mentally,” Im said.

One suspects even those in contention for a medal on Sunday will not begrudge their South Korean rivals should they have a putt to win gold.