Shriners Children’s Open: Sungjae Im wins on 100th PGA Tour star with brilliant closing 62
- Dave Tindall
- 11 October 2021
The Korean sprinted clear of the field on the final day in Las Vegas after a nine-under-par lap of TPC Summerlin that left him four shots clear of Matthew Wolff.
Look out for Sungjae Im when he makes his 150th PGA Tour start.
Why? The Korean has now made a century of appearances on the PGA Tour, winning twice.
Those victories came on his 50th start when he won the 2020 Honda Classic and now on his 100th start after he romped to victory in Las Vegas on Sunday with a brilliant 62.
Im started the final round of the Shriners Children's Open at TPC Summerlin in sixth place and three shots back.
He'd shared the halfway lead but had rather lost momentum with a 1-under 70 on Saturday.
But in Sunday's closer he was unstoppable.
The 23-year-old birdied the opening hole and then made further gains at 4, 6, 7 and 9 to turn in just 30.
He reeled off four more birdies at the start of his second nine, that streak of five straight par breakers from the 9th proving the decisive move.
No-one else could keep pace and five pars from the 14th closed out victory with 24-under-par.
🏆 @TheHondaClassic - 50th start
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 11, 2021
🏆 @ShrinersOpen - 100th start
Sungjae Im doubles down in Vegas. pic.twitter.com/2Kr6C6S9yJ
That tied the tournament's low winning score held by Ryan Moore (2012) and Webb Simpson (2013) since TPC Summerlin became a par-71 layout in 2009.
Im also became the second youngest winner of the tournament after Tiger Woods (20 years old when taking the title in 1996).
Im said: "Very meaningful win. I know I won my first win on my 50th start, and to win my second PGA Tour win on my 100th start, that in itself is a pretty amazing stat.
"It was hard coming, but I think today how everything went, I think it was a gift from above.
"I played so well and I'm glad I got the win. It was very tough to win the first one and I thought the second would be harder and harder. I just kept my patience and tried to keep my focus throughout the period.
"I want to celebrate today's win, so tonight and probably tomorrow I want to take a break.
"But starting Tuesday morning I want to prepare for THE CJ CUP. And most importantly I'm sponsored by CJ, so it's an important tournament to me and I want to play well, I want to get ready."
Matthew Wolff finished second after a closing 68 while Marc Leishman (63), Rory Sabbatini (64) and overnight leader Adam Schenk (70) shared third place on 19-under.
