Sungjae Im, Tom Kim in race to become Asia’s first winner in FedEx Play-offs

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – AUGUST 11: Sungjae Im of South Korea tees off on the 13th hole during the second round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind on August 11, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images).

Khel Today Bureau 

Memphis, TN: Korean star Sungjae Im shot a sparkling 5-under 65 to move into Tied-third place alongside compatriot Tom Kim in the FedEx St. Jude Championship as the two stars moved into contention for top honours for the first of three FedExCup Playoffs events at TPC Southwind in Memphis.

Jordan Spieth (63-68) who led after the first day, was overtaken by the in-form Lucas Glover, who followed his first round 66 with a 64. Glover, the 2009 US Open champion, is now 10-under and Spieth is 9-under for two rounds.

Five players Koreans Sungjae Im (67-65), and Tom Kim (64-68), American Taylor Moore (66-66), England’s Tommy Fleetwood (66-66) and Argentine Emiliano Grillo (65-67).

Since the launch of the FedExCup, no Asian has won a Playoffs event, let alone the TOUR’s ultimate prize. Im finished runner-up at the TOUR Championship last season and was also third in the 2021 BMW Championship. Im hopes to have all four Koreans advancing to the Playoffs Finale, the TOUR Championship in East Lake, Atlanta.

Kim fought to a bogey-free 68 to stay in the race alongside Im to deliver Asia’s first ever win in a Playoffs event. Byeong Hun An (67-68) and Si Woo Kim (68-67) enters the weekend tied 18th, five off the pace.

Glover, who won the Wyndham Championship on Sunday to qualify for the Playoffs, rose to the top of the leader board with a 64 while overnight leader Spieth slipped to solo second following a 68.

Glover started last week’s Wyndham Championship in 112th position but a fifth TOUR victory propelled him to 49th place. Should he win this week, he will rise to third place heading into the BMW Championship.

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (67-69) is T-30 and needs to ensure he stays in Top-50 to progress into next week’s BMW Championship which is limited to the top-50 players.

The 25-year-old Im, who has two PGA TOUR victories under his belt, registered six birdies to offset a lone bogey for a two-day total of 8-under-132, propelling him to a five-way tie for third. Im’s round was highlighted by a chip-in birdie on the par-3 eighth, his penultimate hole.

The 21-year-old Kim, who is also a two-time PGA TOUR winner, was happy to grind out a 68. Kim managed only two birdies but was delighted to stay in the hunt on a tough day.

In his first start since a T2 at The Open Championship, FedExCup leader Jon Rahm T-51 at even par, posted a 3-under 67.

The top-50 players at the conclusion of the FedEx St. Jude Championship will advance to the BMW Championship.