Monday, October 5, 2026 Balls & Bogeys Golf News Edition
Photo: Getty Images
Tom Kim wins Asian Games gold to avoid military duty
Per Adam Schupak / Golfweek: “Tom Kim shot a final-round 6-under 64 at Kasugai Country Club in Japan on Saturday to win the individual gold medal at the Asian Games by three strokes, earning an exemption from mandatory military service.”
B&B POV: Presidents Cup star Tom Kim’s Asian Games gold was bigger than another trophy: it secured his military-service exemption, protecting precious years of his golf career. Now he can sharpen his putting and prepare for TGL shenanigans—without trading the greens for learning how to shoot a Barrett sniper rifle and doing a thousand push-ups a day.
Photo: Christian Peteresen
Jeeno Thitikul is the LPGA’s hottest player after winning fourth title this season
Per Tod Leonard / Golf Digest: “While Korda, owning four wins before July, faded a bit as the summer wore on, Thitkul shifted into another gear. With one win already back in February in her home country of Thailand, the 23-year-old notched her second victory in May’s Mizuho Americans Open and added a third triumph in August’s Standard Portland Classic.”
B&B POV: Jeeno Thitikul won the Lotte Championship this weekend and added lighter fluid to an ongoing debate: If Nelly Korda is rooted as No. 1 in the world, is Jeeno clearly the world’s best player not named Korda? We feel she is—and Hawaii’s victory only strengthens that belief.
Photo: Getty Images
Austin Smotherman Won at Black Desert the Hard Way: Tourney Recap and Top 10 Payouts
Per Chris Lohman / Balls & Bogeys: Austin Smotherman’s first PGA Tour win took 100 starts, a long route through mini-tours and the Korn Ferry Tour, and one very uncomfortable hole at Black Desert Resort.
But before we dive into what happened on Sunday, I want to share one remarkable stat with you:
Austin Smotherman, in a 72-hole PGA Tour event, made 32 birdies, a 44% clip for the week. Crazy. Absolutely crazy.
The $6 million purse created substantial paydays for the top 10 finishers. In the FedExCup Fall, a strong finish also means valuable points as players jockey for Tour status and next season’s opportunities. Ghim’s runner-up finish, for example, moved him from 89th to 58th in the standings, putting him into the top 60 that earns spots in two early-season Signature Events.
Black Desert Payouts:
1. Austin Smotherman, -26, $1,080,000
2. Doug Ghim, -24, $654,000
T3 – David Ford, -23, $354,000
Photo: Getty Images
LIV’s Adrian Meronk wins Dunhill Links, gets European tour card
Per Associated Press / ESPN: “Adrian Meronk rallied past an unsteady Casey Jarvis to win the Dunhill Links Championship on Sunday, earning a full card on the DP World Tour when the 33-year-old member of LIV Golf desperately needed it.”
B&B POV: Adrian Meronk’s win at St Andrews (St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns) was huge for him—but Brooks Koepka’s T-6 finish may matter just as much. It’s his second top-10 worldwide since leaving LIV in January. Could this be the spark that gets him rolling again?
If LIV folds—sorry, when it does—could Meronk chase a top-10 finish in the Race to Dubai and earn a PGA Tour card for 2027/2028? At the very least, Meronk has options now, and playing a full year on the DP World Tour is a damn fine one.
Photo: Tony Paul / Detroit News
Steven Alker bests Michael Block again to win Lehigh Valley Classic
Per Golf Channel Staff: “New Zealander Steven Alker closed with a 4-under 66 on Sunday to win the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic at 14 under, one shot ahead Tag Ridings.”
B&B POV: He may have lost out on lifting a PGA TOUR Champions trophy again yesterday, but Block earned enough points to make the playoffs and now sits in 39th place, ahead of stalwarts Bernhard Langer, Justin Leonard, and Vijay Singh. In seven starts this season, the man who loves his own parties has 4 top-10 finishes, including two top-3s. Let’s goooo!
LESSON OF THE WEEK
Learn how to throw (or break) your club the right way with Eric “Eloh” Lohman
Our #1 tip for throwing your club without breaking it: Use the frisbee approach recommended by Monday Mulligan star Eric “Eloh” Lohman in the video below.
YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS...
Thanks, Meta.
Things you just can’t make up. Don’t miss these random nuggets of gold we found on the interwebs. You’re welcome.
Featured Golf Gear – SQAIRZ
Now accepting HSA/FSA payments! SQAIRZ patented toe box gives your toes room to spread out the way nature intended—creating a more stable base, better feel for the ground, and a stronger connection to every step, swing, or stride.