Tom Kim finishes marathon Asian Games second round under floodlights
NAGOYA, Japan — Tom Kim probably didn't have floodlit golf on his Asian Games to-do list in Nagoya this week, but that is exactly what he ended up playing at the end of a marathon second round on Thursday.
Presidents Cup player Kim, defending gold medalist Taichi Kho from Hong Kong and Japan's Keita Nakajima teed off in the final men's group at 12:35 p.m.
Play slowed to a crawl as soft fairways meant players could lift and clean their balls on every shot, while others in groups ahead were getting into trouble and causing further hold-ups on the tight tree-lined Kasugai Country Club course.
The final group's round took a mammoth five hours and 20 minutes to complete, taking them past the local sunset at 5:38 pm.
It forced some drastic action from organisers to get the round finished, with temporary floodlights brought in alongside the final green so the trio could still putt out in almost total darkness.
Kim tapped in for a par four with the help of the electric candlepower to complete a round of four-under 66 to stand in a share of fifth place with South Korean teammate Mun Do-yeob on seven-under par.
Nakajima rolled in a birdie three at the last for a 66 of his own and enjoyed the unusual finish, saying it might have even brought him a little good fortune.
"It was fun," said Nakajima.
"I made a good birdie. I had no birdies on the back nine until then."
Wang Wei-hsuan of Taiwan (66) and Deng Wenyi of China (64) share the halfway lead at nine-under par.
Japan pair Nakajima and Kazuki Higa (67) are joint third on eight-under.
Hong Kong's Kho could only shoot an even-par 70 and is on one-under as his dream of back-to-back golds begins to fade.
Singapore's Shannon Tan continues to lead the women's event and is on 13-under par after a six-under 64 added her to her opening round 63.
She is two clear of former world number one Yin Ruoning of China and South Korea's Yang Yun-seo.
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