![]() I just want to keep this momentum going and try to finish well this week. Maybe by Sunday evening, they’ll be focused on Im. Wood’s comeback is what most patrons will remember from Day 1 of the Masters. Woods, who is playing for the first time since a February 2021 wreck left him with serious leg injuries, was four shots behind Im after shooting 71. In fact, Y.E, Yang remains the only male golfer from Im’s country to capture a major title, memorably rallying to beat Woods at the 2009 PGA Championship. Im doesn’t want to get ahead of himself, but he knows that no South Korean golfer has ever won at Augusta. Im said it’s important “to put the shot into spots where I have a chance to attack the green.”Ī year ago, Hideki Matsuyama became the first golfer from Japan to win the Masters. Indeed, he was one of the day’s most accurate drivers, hitting 12 of 14 fairways. “The key to a successful round was having good tee shots, so that worked well today.” “I felt like my driving game was not as up to par as what it used to be, so I worked on my driving,” Im said. Coming off the heels of his rookie season where he ranked 1 in Total One Putts from 10-15’ (T3 from 15-20’), 1 in GIR Putting from 5-10’, 1 in Total Eagles (18), 1 in Total Birdies (480, nearest competitor: 397) and 1 in Total Rounds in the 60’s, Sungjae Im captured his first career PGA TOUR victory. Im missed the cut at the 2021 Masters with rounds of 77 and 80, and arrived at this year’s tournament struggling a bit with his game - especially off the tee. “It’s pretty cool to see that we’re all up there together.” In 2020, Johnson won his first green jacket with a dominating performance, while Smith and Im were five shots back in the runner-up slot at the first November Masters. From 222 yards, he stuck it 12 feet from the flag and rolled in the putt for eagle.Īnother birdie at the 15th and a brilliant save from the bunker at the final hole - he nearly holed out with his sand wedge and tapped it for par - gave him a one-stroke lead over Cameron Smith, with Dustin Johnson part of the group two shots back at 69. Im stumbled a bit after the turn, making back-to-back bogeys at 10 and 11, but then he delivered his best shot of the day at the par-5 No. He got off to a blazing start, making birdies at the first three holes. Im hit a lot of beautiful shots when it really counted. “But once he hit the shot, it was the most beautiful shot I’ve seen. Jitaek delivered a wild swing, almost like he was trying to slug a baseball, but the ball soared over the water and settled about about 5 feet from the flag. At the final hole, Sungjae let his dad take the tee shot. “I feel I can play well here every time.”ĭuring the par 3 contest on Wednesday, Jitaek Im served as his son’s caddie. “I feel comfortable when I come to Augusta,” he said through his translator. Still a long way to go, but there’s obviously something about this course that suits Im’s game. The 24-year-old South Korean feels right at home.Ī runner-up 17 months ago in his Masters debut, Im posted a 5-under 67 Thursday to grab the lead all to himself. (AP) - With all eyes on Tiger Woods, Sungjae Im quietly turned in the round of the day at Augusta National.
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