Arnold Palmer Invitational Day 1 Tied 7th, McIlroy 6 Under Par Tied Lead, DeChambeau 1 Stroke Behind in 3rd Place
Im Sung-jae is looking at the ball right after his tee shot on the 7th hole on the first day of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Orlando, Florida, USA = Getty Images / Multibits
[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] It is an early sprint by Im Sung-jae (23, CJ Logistics), ranked 17th in the world.
On the 5th (Korean time), at Bay Hill Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, USA (par 72, 7,454 yards), the first day of the PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational (total prize money $9.3 million), he shot 3-under par to tie for 7th place. Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) and Corey Conners (Canada) lead the tournament at 6-under par, while 'The Hulk' Bryson DeChambeau (USA) is in a fierce battle for the win at 3rd place, one stroke behind at 5-under par 67.
Im Sung-jae recorded one eagle, two birdies, and one bogey. Starting at the 10th hole (par 4), he made a remarkable eagle on the 16th hole (par 5). After a 322-yard long drive, he succeeded in reaching the green in two shots from 190 yards and sank a 2.4-meter putt. Although he made his only bogey on the 3rd hole of the back nine (par 4), he recovered with a birdie on the 4th hole (par 5) and added another birdie on the 7th hole (par 3) near the end. His iron shot green hit rate was only 50%, but his brilliant short game stood out.
It is interesting that Im Sung-jae is particularly strong on the Bay Hill course. This was the stage where he first entered the PGA Tour 'Top 3' in 2019. Last year, after winning the Honda Classic and finishing 3rd, he faltered with a 1-over par on the final day, which was disappointing as it halted his 'two consecutive wins' momentum. In November, he showed major championship competitiveness by finishing runner-up against Dustin Johnson (USA) at the 'Fall Masters.' This is why he is ranked as the '6th favorite to win' on the PGA Tour.
Bryson DeChambeau is teeing off at the 16th hole on the first day of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Orlando, Florida, USA = Getty Images / Multibits
McIlroy collected seven birdies (one bogey), with a particularly powerful streak of five consecutive birdies from holes 2 to 6. His maximum 354-yard power display, 72.22% iron shot green hit rate, and an average of 1.62 putts per hole all aligned perfectly. He is poised to reach his '19th career win' for the first time in 1 year and 4 months since the 2019 November World Golf Championships (WGC) HSBC Champions. Conners is also challenging for his 'second win' following the 2019 April Texas Open.
DeChambeau responded with a 351-yard long drive. However, the expected 'hole-in-one' on the 6th hole (par 5, 528 yards) did not materialize. It is a dogleg hole where the fairway curves in a semicircle along the lake on the left. The straight distance over the water is 350 yards, but DeChambeau was about 30-40 yards short during practice rounds. On this day, he was satisfied with a 'two-on, two-putt' birdie after reaching the fairway. He left the possibility open, saying, "Depending on the teeing ground position and wind conditions, I will attempt a one-on."
In Korea, An Byeong-hun (30, CJ Logistics) is performing well, tied for 4th place (4-under par 68) with six birdies and two bogeys. He added, "Having galleries after a long time gives me more strength." Jason Kokrak (USA) is also tied for 4th place. Lee Kyoung-hoon (30) is tied for 29th at 1-under par, and Kang Sung-hoon (34) is tied for 43rd at even par. Kim Si-woo (26, CJ Logistics), the 'American Express Champion,' withdrew after finishing with 8-over par.
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