"I'll pour everything into becoming the first Korean to reach the Tour Championship eight years in a row," Im Sung-jae said, laying out his goal in a video interview with Korean reporters on the 19th, a day before the start of the BMW Championship, the second leg of the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Im struggled through the early part of the season, hampered by limited practice after a wrist injury, military training and community service ahead of the campaign. He missed his chance to compete in the elite signature events and entered the first playoff round ranked 53rd in the FedEx Cup standings. But drawing on his trademark mental toughness, he tied for fifth, lifting his FedEx Cup ranking to 40th and dramatically securing a spot in the second playoff round, which is open only to the top 50.
Reflecting on his current form, Im said he was thrilled to have advanced. "A month ago I wasn't even sure I'd make the first round, but I've steadily finished in the top 15 lately and reached the second round, so I couldn't be happier," he said. "This was the year I practiced the least in my career. I couldn't train for two or three months, so the risk was high early in the season, but thankfully my form came back in the second half."
According to the PGA Tour, Im must finish at least eighth on his own in the BMW Championship to have a shot at reaching the Tour Championship, the season finale. Aiming for an eighth consecutive appearance in the playoff finale, he said: "Winning is great, but even winning leaves regret if you can't make the Tour Championship. Reaching the Tour Championship itself means you had a good season, and the benefits are big. Only four players in PGA Tour history have made it eight years in a row. If I become the fifth this year, it would be a first for a Korean and a great source of pride. I'll keep the ball in the fairway, stay mentally strong and make sure I get to the Tour Championship."
Im pointed to mental strength as the secret behind the strong play he shows in every crisis. "Whenever tough moments came, I've always overcome them by pushing myself with the mindset of just giving it a go," he said. "Strong mental toughness and the focus I can summon when I need it have helped me a lot. This year was physically tough too, but I tried to stay positive, and I made it to the second round thanks to that mental strength."
He graded his own season an 80. "Even though I couldn't compete for two months, I still reached the second round, so I'd give myself about 80 points," Im said. "If things go well this week and I reach the finale, I think I could give myself 90 or more. It's the tail end of the season, so I'll build it up step by step."
