Seven Consecutive Tour Championship Appearances
Bonus Strokes Based on FedEx Cup Rankings Abolished
Tied for Second in 2022, Seventh Place Finish Last Year
Sungjae Im is making waves at the "gathering of stars," the Tour Championship, on the PGA Tour.
Starting on August 21 (local time), he will compete in the Tour Championship, the final event of the PGA Tour Playoffs (PO), held over four days at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Last week, he finished tied for 40th place at the BMW Championship, the second playoff event. He enters the Tour Championship ranked 28th in the FedEx Cup standings.
Sungjae Im is challenging for victory at the Tour Championship, the final event of the PGA Tour Playoffs. Photo by AP Yonhap News
Qualifying for the Tour Championship is considered not only a ticket to compete in the season's final event but also a guarantee of elite status on the PGA Tour, as it comes with invitations to next season's major tournaments and other top-tier events. The playoff finale, the Tour Championship, is the battleground where the top 30 players who have survived to the end compete to determine the season's best player.
This year, all 30 participants are championship contenders. From 2019 to last year, players started with bonus strokes based on their FedEx Cup ranking points, making it nearly impossible for anyone outside the top 10 to win. However, this system has been abolished this year. Now, all 30 players have an equal chance to win. Sungjae Im will compete under the same conditions as FedEx Cup No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (USA) and No. 2 Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland).
Sungjae Im is the only Korean player to qualify for the Tour Championship. He has appeared on this prestigious stage for seven consecutive seasons since 2019. In 2022, he created fond memories by finishing tied for second in the final event, earning recognition as a world-class player. Last year, he also performed well, finishing seventh in this tournament. Ahead of the final event, Sungjae Im said, "I believe qualifying for the Tour Championship means I had a good season. I am proud to have made it for seven consecutive years."
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