Kasugai:The four-time PGA Tour winner Kim Joo-hyung has taken a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Asian Games men's golf tournament in Japan. Kim excelled on the Kasugai Country Club East Course, located just northeast of Nagoya, shooting a five-under 65 on Friday. His round included five birdies, an eagle, and two bogeys.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim's overall score of 12-under 198 places him one shot ahead of Wang Wei-Hsuan from Chinese Taipei and Kazuki Higa of Japan. Meanwhile, South Korea's Mun Do-yeob, a LIV Golf member, is in a tie for eighth place at eight-under after a round of 69, and Kim Seong-hyeon is tied for 14th at two-under with a similar score.
South Korea also leads the team standings with a score of 20-under, closely followed by Japan at 19-under, and China and Chinese Taipei at 18-under. The team scores are determined by adding the two best individual scores from each team per round.
Kim Joo-hyung and Kim Seong-hyeon are in line for military service exemptions if they secure a team or individual gold medal, potentially allowing them to pursue uninterrupted careers overseas. Mun has already completed his military service.
Kim, known as Tom Kim on the PGA Tour, has been overcoming jet lag after arriving from the United States where he participated in the Presidents Cup. Despite limited sleep, Kim improved each day of the tournament, starting with a 67, followed by a 66, and culminating in the third round's 65.
In the women's tournament, 18-year-old Yang Yun-seo is the top South Korean contender, standing alone in fifth place at five-under 205 after a round of 72. Park Seo-jin is tied for 22nd at eight-over, while Kim Gyu-been is tied for 24th at nine-over. The South Korean women's team is currently eighth in the standings, at even-par, trailing leader China by 15 shots and Hong Kong by nine for the bronze medal.