S.H. Kim confronts military duty regardless of Masters qualification.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The last opportunity to qualify for the Masters is through San Antonio at the Valero Texas Open, where the victor, if not already qualified, secures a spot at Augusta National.
The exception is S.H. Kim, who will return directly to South Korea regardless of the result.
Kim, who will turn 28 in September, secured his PGA Tour card for the second time by finishing eighth on the Korn Ferry Tour points list in 2025. However, he faces impending mandatory military service in South Korea and received a 90-day travel extension at the beginning of the year.
This extension allows him to compete until the Texas Open on April 2-5 before it expires. Kim, who did not make the cut at The Players Championship, has participated every week he has been eligible. His strongest performances occurred early in the year: a tie for 13th at the Sony Open and a tie for 18th at The American Express.
“I’m playing until Valero,” he stated through a translator. “Anything beyond that involves many factors. I might return again this year, but first I need to go back to Korea.”
For players, sacrificing two prime years is never easy. Sangmoon Bae transitioned from the Presidents Cup in 2015 to military service and has not been the same since. Similarly, Seung-yul Noh’s return from conscription coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PGA Tour is developing a strategy to assist. Tour officials are finalizing an arrangement that would allow Kim to receive a medical extension while still competing on the Korea PGA circuit during the weeks he would not be eligible on the PGA Tour (including majors and signature events).
The goal is to keep him competitive for the end of September in preparation for the Asian Games, which occur every four years and are becoming increasingly significant for South Koreans. Gold medalists in the Asian Games—whether individual or team—are exempt from military service.
Any medal at the Olympics also grants an exemption, which is why Tom Kim was so disappointed when he missed out on a chance for bronze at the 2024 Paris Games by four shots.
Professionals participated in the Asian Games for the first time in 2023 (it was postponed by a year due to the pandemic). Sungjae Im and Si Woo Kim played alongside two amateurs, leading South Korea to win the team gold by 25 shots.
“I was still scared as [expletive],” Si Woo Kim remarked with a laugh last week, noting that the world ranking determined participation the last time.
Tom Kim and S.H. Kim are currently the top-ranked South Koreans in the world rankings among those still facing conscription. S.H. mentioned that it has not yet been decided who will compete, but he hopes to be part of that team. A gold medal is the only way he can return to the PGA Tour in the fall.
