KASUGAI, Japan — South Korea’s Kim Joo-hyung, better known as Tom Kim on the PGA Tour, has seized the 54-hole lead in the men’s golf tournament at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, setting up a dramatic final round.
The four-time PGA Tour winner fired a 5-under 65 in Friday’s third round at Kasugai Country Club East Course, moving to 12-under 198 overall and taking a one-stroke lead into Saturday’s final round.
Kim’s round featured five birdies, one eagle and two bogeys, continuing his steady climb through the tournament after opening with a 67 and following it with a 66.
One Shot Separates Kim From the Chasers
Kim leads Wang Wei-Hsuan of Chinese Taipei and Japan’s Kazuki Higa, who are both at 11-under 199.
That leaves the gold-medal race tightly packed heading into the final 18 holes, with just one stroke separating Kim from the two players immediately behind him.
South Korea also moved into first place in the men’s team competition, reaching 20-under after three rounds.
Japan is one stroke behind at 19-under, while China and Chinese Taipei are tied at 18-under. The team score is calculated by adding the two best individual scores from each country after every round.
Korea Has More Than One Medal Threat
Kim is not the only South Korean golfer in contention.
Mun Do-yeob, a LIV Golf player, sits tied for eighth at 8-under after shooting a 69. Kim Seong-hyeon is tied for 14th at 2-under following his own 69.
The team standings therefore give South Korea another major opportunity heading into the final round, with both the individual and team competitions still to be decided.
Tom Kim’s Race Against Time
Kim arrived in Japan after competing at the Presidents Cup in the United States, giving him little time to recover before the Asian Games competition.
Despite the demanding travel schedule and jet lag, the 24-year-old has improved his score in every round: 67, 66 and 65.
Now, with 18 holes remaining, Kim enters the final round alone at the top.
Gold Could Carry an Additional Significance
For Kim Joo-hyung and fellow South Korean golfer Kim Seong-hyeon, an Asian Games gold medal also has implications beyond the leaderboard.
According to the report, both would receive a military-service exemption with either an individual gold or team gold, while Mun Do-yeob has already completed his military duty.
That puts additional attention on Saturday’s final round as South Korea chases gold in both the individual and team competitions.
The final 18 holes will determine whether Tom Kim can turn his one-shot advantage into an Asian Games championship — and whether South Korea can convert its team lead into another gold medal.
WWC ONE MEDIA G,A
