Kim Joo-hyung, who won the gold medal in men's golf at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, shared that an encouraging message from golf legend Tiger Woods of the United States was a major boost to his victory.

After winning the final round of the men's golf tournament with 6-under 64 and a total of 18-under 262 at the East Course (par 70) of Kasugai Country Club in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, today (October 3), Kim said, "I woke up this morning, checked my phone, and Woods's text was the very first one there. It gave me a tremendous amount of strength."

When asked about the details, he smiled and said, "It's a secret..." but after checking his phone, he revealed, "The message said, 'Just be you. Nothing more, nothing less.' It seems like Woods watches over me wherever I am. He did the same when I won, and also when the Presidents Cup ended on September 28."

He added, "Heading into this tournament, I felt a heavy sense of responsibility and pride in representing my country, and seeing that message made me resolve that I would do well as long as I just played my own game."

He also laughed, saying, "Woods probably wouldn't pick up a phone call, so I should send him a reply message. I'm going to send him a photo of me biting the gold medal."

Asked how he felt about finishing the tournament with a win, he said, "It's a bit disappointing that we won a silver medal in the team event. Still, I have no regrets because I gave it my all. I'm grateful and honored."

Comparing this victory to his PGA Tour wins, he noted, "Every round and every moment on the PGA Tour isn't necessarily tense, but every single moment from start to finish in this tournament was a continuous stream of tension. I tried hard not to let go of that tension.

Before the tournament, I thought to myself that this week would be the longest week of my life, which is probably why I was able to stay calm and do well," he answered.

The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games proved to be an extremely tough event for Kim.

Immediately following the conclusion of the Presidents Cup on September 28, he boarded a flight to Japan, arrived, underwent one day of official practice, and jumped straight into the first round.

"I thought I was going to die. It was so tough," Kim laughed as he looked back. "I arrived at 5 a.m., took a bus, practiced in the rain, and played the tournament on almost no sleep."

He added with a laugh, "My tee shots drifted to the left a bit near the end of today's round because I was so exhausted."

He remarked, "Given my condition, it was by no means an environment where I could perform at my best. I prayed to God so much."

He also expressed gratitude to his wife, whom he married late last year.

"My wife kept calling me all week to pray, meditate, and read Bible verses together," Kim said. "She gave me a deep sense of stability. I relied on her a lot to pull through."

After struggling deeply on the PGA Tour in 2025, Kim married his wife at the end of the year and enjoyed a spectacular revival this year.

"While 2022, when I won my first PGA title, is special, this year was about dropping every heavy burden I was carrying one by one," Kim said. "It felt like taking water bottles out of a backpack. I think I can finally sleep with peace of mind."

When asked, "How much sleep will you get today?", he burst into a hearty laugh and replied, "I don't know. I might not even be able to fall asleep."

Regarding his play during the match, Kim said, "I felt like I was pulling ahead after posting a good score on the front nine. Checking the leaderboard can make you more nervous, so I deliberately avoided looking at it. Once I finished the 17th hole and saw I had a 3-stroke lead [over the second-place group], a sense of relief washed over me."

Describing the eagle shot on the 3rd hole (par 5) that secured his victory, he shared, "It was straightforward. I put the tee shot in the fairway, placed my second shot close, and sank the eagle putt. I tried hard not to get overly excited."

Kim's next goal is the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"Winning the gold medal here means I can approach the Olympics with a bit more peace of mind," he said. "The next Olympics will be held in the United States, which makes me feel comfortable, and it's a venue I've played at often. I will keep pushing forward with the Olympic gold medal as my goal."

With his victory at this tournament, Kim has earned an exemption from military service, allowing him to smoothly continue his PGA Tour career moving forward.

(Photo: Yonhap News)