'Five years without a win' Im Sung-jae finishes second in the first round of the PGA Tour FedExCup Playoffs... three shots behind world No. 1 Scheffler

*This content was translated by AI.

Im Sung-jae (28, CJ) moved into a tie for second place after the second round of the 2026 PGA Tour FedExCup Playoffs in the United States.

On the 15th (Korean time), Im shot a 4-under-par 66 with six birdies and two bogeys during the tournament's second round at TPC Southwind (par 70) in Memphis, Tennessee.

Starting the first day tied for sixth place at 4-under-par, Im leaped to a tie for second place overall with a cumulative score of 8-under-par 132.

He remains three shots behind leader Scottie Scheffler (USA), who finished at 11-under-par 129, positioning himself to challenge for the title depending on his performance in the remaining rounds.

Launched in 2007, the FedExCup is the final showdown where players with the best performances during the PGA Tour regular season compete for the "king of kings" title and a large prize purse.

The first round of the playoffs features the top 70 players based on cumulative FedExCup points from the regular season. The second playoff event, the BMW Championship, will include the top 50 players starting from the 21st. The final event, the Tour Championship, begins on the 28th and is open only to the top 30 players.

Im Sung-jae, who was in a disadvantaged position at 53rd in the FedExCup rankings, has now improved his standing through his strong performance in this tournament. Qualification for the BMW Championship is virtually secured. If he finishes second in this event, his ranking is expected to rise as high as 36th.

Im started on a high note with consecutive birdies from the first hole (par 4) to the third hole (par 5), and added more birdies at the sixth hole (par 4) and ninth hole (par 4).

Although he recorded bogeys on the 15th hole (par 4) and 17th hole (par 4), causing a slight dip in form, he regained his composure with a birdie on the 16th hole (par 5).

After securing two victories at the Honda Classic in March 2020 and the Shriners Children's Open in October 2021, Im has not won on the PGA Tour since. This makes his performance in this tournament even more anticipated.

FedExCup ranking leader Scottie Scheffler jumped into sole possession of first place by cutting nine strokes today. This season, he has experienced five runner-up finishes and only one victory.

Kim Si-woo finished with a cumulative score of 2-under-par 138, tying for 27th place, while Kim Ju-hyeong ended at 1-over-par 141, tying for 45th. Kim Si-woo is ranked seventh in the FedExCup standings, and Kim Ju-hyeong is ranked 26th.

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*This content was translated by AI.