Asia on the rise at FedExCup Playoffs

Sungjae Im of Korea walks with caddie William Spencer up the first fairway during the final round of THE NORTHERN TRUST, the first event of the FedExCup Playoffs, at Liberty National Golf Club on Monday. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Sungjae Im of Korea walks with caddie William Spencer up the first fairway during the final round of THE NORTHERN TRUST, the first event of the FedExCup Playoffs, at Liberty National Golf Club on Monday. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Korea’s Sungjae Im enjoyed his best finish at THE NORTHERN TRUST in a share of 16th place on Monday as he led three other Asian stars into the second FedExCup Playoffs event, the BMW Championship which begins on Thursday.

 

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The 24-year-old Im, who was making his third appearance in the first Playoffs event, closed out the weather-hit week which forced a Monday finish with five birdies against four bogeys at Liberty National Golf Club. He rose from 30th position to 25th on the FedExCup standings following his 14th top-25 finish of the PGA Tour 2020-21 Season.

Also Read: Korea’s band of brothers set sights on Playoffs milestone

Japan’s reigning Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama settled for a share of 43rd following a 70 as well which included a double bogey, bogey finish over his closing two holes. He dropped two rungs to 16th place on the FedExCup standings.

 

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Another Korean, K.H. Lee will enter the BMW Championship in 37th place following his tie for 47th finish at Liberty National while compatriot Si Woo Kim, who missed the halfway cut, will be the fourth and final Asian player advancing in the Playoffs in 33rd position.

This week, the top-70 players will tee up at Caves Valley Golf Club at Owings Mills, with the subsequent top-30 advancing into the Season Finale, the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. Since the FedExCup was inaugurated in 2007, no more than two Asians have featured at the same time at the TOUR Championship.

 

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Chinese Taipei’s C.T. Pan had missed the weekend cut to bow out of the Playoffs but not before shooting a hole-in-one in the par 3 fourth hole during his second round.

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