Men’s Golf Aims for Sweep at the Asian Games... Repeat of 2010 Guangzhou?

Kim Joohyung, Kim Seonghyeon, and Moon Doyeop Form a Powerhouse Lineup
Sharpening Skills at Presidents Cup and KPGA Tournaments
"Our Goal Is Gold in Both Individual and Team Events"

The mood is positive. This is the story of the 'strongest in Asia' Taegeuk warriors competing in the golf event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

The golf competition at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will take place from September 30 to October 3 at the Higashi Course of Kasugai Country Club in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. There are four gold medals at stake in the men's and women's individual and team events. Each country can send three players. Both professionals and amateurs are eligible to participate in this year's event. Korea has won a total of 14 gold medals (six in men's events and eight in women's events) in the Asian Games golf competition to date.

The men's team was selected by picking the top three players based on world rankings. Kim Joohyung and Kim Seonghyeon, who both compete on the PGA Tour in the United States, and Moon Doyeop, who plays on the LIV Golf circuit, earned a spot on the national team. For the women's team, national representatives Yang Yunseo, Park Seojin, and Kim Gyubin will compete.

Kim Juhyung, ranked 30th in the world, took on the role of ace at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Photo by KGA

Men's golf has been part of the Asian Games since the 1982 New Delhi Games. At the Doha 2006 and Guangzhou 2010 tournaments, Korean golfers swept all four gold medals available (men's and women's individual and team). However, the dominance later faced fierce challenges from Japan and Thailand, making Korea’s top position in Asia less certain.

Men's golf rebounded at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games (held in 2023). With professional players allowed to enter, PGA Tour members Kim Siwoo and Im Sungjae, together with amateurs Jang Yubin and Cho Wooyoung, won the team gold medal. Im Sungjae also added a silver medal in the individual event.

The men's team is aiming for victories in both the individual and team events at this Asian Games. It has been 16 years since Korea has won gold in both categories, a feat last achieved at the 2010 Guangzhou Games by Kim Minhui (a double gold medalist), Lee Kyunghoon, Park Ilhwan, and Lee Jaehyuk.

Kim Joohyung, ranked 30th in the world, leads the way. In 2022, he recorded two wins on the PGA Tour at the second youngest age in history (20 years, 3 months), and in 2023, he became the youngest player in 26 years since Tiger Woods to achieve three wins. Although Kim Joohyung struggled throughout last year, he returned to form this year by winning the Genesis Scottish Open last month, his fourth career PGA Tour victory and his first in 33 months since the Shriners Children’s Open in October 2023.

Kim Joohyung played through the final event of the playoff series, the Tour Championship, before taking a brief break. He will then sharpen his skills at the Presidents Cup (September 24–27), where Team USA faces the International Team apart from Europe. After that event, he will travel to Japan for the Asian Games.

Sung Hyun Kim won a gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and is hoping for military service benefits. Photo by KPGA

Kim Seonghyeon is also a strong candidate to win double gold. He has one win each in Korea and Japan, and was the leading money winner on the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour (the PGA's second tier). He debuted on the PGA Tour in 2023, returned to the Korn Ferry Tour last year, and is back on the regular tour this year. Kim Seonghyeon, who has yet to fulfill his military service, received permission from the Military Manpower Administration for a 90-day extension to stay overseas earlier this year. He played up to the Valero Texas Open in April, then returned to Korea to compete on the KPGA Tour.

Kim Seonghyeon has also made his mark on domestic tours, finishing in the top 10 five times, including a runner-up finish at the KPGA Gunsan CC Open last June. He will continue to compete in domestic tournaments to maintain his form before leaving for Japan. Kim Seonghyeon said, "It is very meaningful to represent my country. I will do my best with a sense of responsibility." He added, "My overall condition and shot accuracy are good. The clear goal is a gold medal."

Experienced Do-Yeop Moon plays the role of the eldest member in the representative team. Photo by KPGA

Moon Doyeop serves as the eldest member of the team. Born in 1991, he is the oldest player on the national squad. He has earned six career victories on the KPGA Tour, including two wins last year and one this year. In May, he joined the LIV Golf Korean Golf Club. Moon Doyeop said, "I am staying game-ready by competing in both LIV Golf and KPGA Tour events during the latter half of the season" and expressed his determination, "I want to win gold medals in both the individual and team events at the Asian Games."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.