Korea's Im cements elite status with 6th straight Tour Championship appearance

When Sungjae Im bought a house in Atlanta at the end of 2020, it was simply to set up a US base due to the ease of flights connectivity and an array of Korean restaurants in his new neighborhood.

Needless to say, it has also become a big motivation to ensure he retains his Top-30 status each year to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs finale, the Tour Championship, which is played at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, and a 30-minute drive from Im’s home.

The 26-year-old Korean star will make his sixth successive appearance in the Tour Championship this week to extend a proud streak, which began from his rookie season in 2019. The impressive run no doubt cements his stature among the game’s elite.

“I’m glad I can be a part of the Tour Championship for six consecutive years. I always have this goal to make it to the Tour Championship every year whenever I start a new season,” said Im on Tuesday. 

With seven top-10s and over $6 million in earnings this year, Im ranked 11th on the FedExCup points list following the BMW Championship in Colorado last weekend. He will start the final week at historical East Lake on 3-under and seven strokes behind leader Scottie Scheffler in the staggered-scoring format.

It may seem like a big gap between him and the man who has won a staggering six tournaments and the Olympic Games gold medal over the past eight months, but Im knows the lead is surmountable.

In 2022, he started six back of Scheffler at East Lake and eventually finished tied second and one stroke behind FedExCup champion, Rory McIlroy. Scheffler tied second with Im that year after blowing a six-shot lead into the final round.

“With my experience, I think if I’m in good shape with my game and my shots are working well, I think I can overcome this gap,” said Im. “I need to be patient and calm to manage my game and take it one day at a time. I think every player in the field has a chance to win. You’ll need good focus every single day to chase the leader.”

After a strong start to his 2024 season with a tied fifth outing at The Sentry in Hawaii in January, Im’s form uncharacteristically went cold as he failed to notch another high finish and missed four cuts through April. He